Janta Roti ~ Flatbread from Odisha ~ Simple Delicious Food Recipes

Janta Roti is a soft roti from Odisha, where the flour is cooked in milk and then cooked as Rotis. These are very soft and have a melt in the mouth texture.

When I was checking for a flatbread starting with J, I somehow across this recipe. Initially, I hadn’t read through the recipe and thought it was coined just like that. However, on further reading about the recipe, I came to know that the flour is cooked in water/milk till it becomes sticky and then allowed to cool down before you start kneading it. So Janta doesn’t refer to mass or crowd but rather refers to ‘pre-cooked’

Finally the dough that is prepared this way is then fried/baked/steamed. The pre cooking helps in easy chewing and digestion. Hence this is a preferred food for elderly or infants who are just being introduced to solid food. This can even be given to people who are recuperating from illness.

Though I had planned on A to Z International Street Food during Feb, I decided about doing another Mega BM in this space very late. I was left with very less time and I ended up making use of every opportunity I got.

Since we had the Thalis/Spread themes for regular BM last month and I had taken up to make different thalis from different states. However, my first one was a North Indian thali, that had a mix of dishes from the different North Indian States.

So you see, I sneaked in this Janta Roti on my North Indian Thali. From my place everything beyond Andhra is North for me, so I took the liberty to make this Roti for the meal as I knew it was going to get very hectic if I don’t plan well. Since I was cooking for 4 elders, I made more rotis, however, I am giving the measurement for 1 cup of wheat flour.

In addition to Janta Roti, I had Jolada Rotti and Jordanian Shrak Bread. Both did’t appeal as I already have Jolada Roti and the other flatbread was starting with the country name. It was settled that I will do Janta Roti for J in the A to Z International Flatbreads. If you are interested to know what’s J for Street Food, Check my other space. I promise you will drool over it!

In A to Z International Flatbreads

A for Afghan Flatbread
B for Bale Hannina Chapathi
C Cascioni Romganoli
D for Dhal Puri
E for Emirati Khameer Bread
F for Focaccia di Recco
G for Gur aur Til ki Roti
H for Harcha
I for Injera
How to make Janta Roti Step by Step Pictures for making Janta Roti How to make Janta Roti 1

How to make Janta Roti 2

Janta Roti ~ Flatbread from Odisha

Ingredients Needed

1 cup Wheat Flour
1 1/2 cup Milk you could use only water or half water and milk
3 tsp Sugar (I skipped)
3 tsp Ghee
Salt to taste

How to make Janta Roti
Heat a wide kadai with milk or water, add ghee and bring to a boil.
Simmer the flame, and slowly add the flour in batches and whisk it quickly to mix.
You could even mix a small portion of flour with water and add it first to the liquid before adding the whole batch.
Cook for 4-5 minutes till the flour gets mixed well and forms a lump.
Switch off the flame and allow to cool down. The flour will be a sticky mass at this stage
When the dough is completely cooled down, transfer to a working surface or a wide bowl.
Dust the surface and add little ghee to the dough. Knead the dough till it becomes soft dough. It took me about 10 mins.
Pinch equal balls from the dough. Dust with flour and roll out into discs of 4 to 5 diameter size.
Heat the tawa and place the roti over it. Cook on medium flame till you can see small spots coming up on the surface of the roti. Flip it over and cook on the other side. The roti will swell up. Remove from tawa after 1 minute.
Repeat for the remaining balls.
Traditionally these rotis are served with Odiyan Dalma and santula. I served with Dal, Paneer and it was so delicious.

While cooking the flour, you could require more or less of the liquid, so depending on that you can add.
You can brush ghee over the rotis while cooking.

Janta Roti

Janta Roti ~ Flatbread from Odisha

Janta Roti is a soft roti from Odisha, where the flour is cooked in milk and then cooked as Rotis. These are very soft and have a melt in the mouth texture.

CourseDinner, Lunch Box
CuisineOriya
By Cook MethodStovetop
OccasionEveryday Meal
By DietDiabetic, Healthy Recipes
Dish TypeIndian Flatbread

Ingredients

1cup Wheat flour
1 1/2cup Milk you could use only water or half water and milk
3tsp SugarI skipped
3tsp Ghee
Salt to taste

Instructions

Heat a wide kadai with milk or water, add ghee and bring to a boil.
Simmer the flame, and slowly add the flour in batches and whisk it quickly to mix.
You could even mix a small portion of flour with water and add it first to the liquid before adding the whole batch.
Cook for 4-5 minutes till the flour gets mixed well and forms a lump.
Switch off the flame and allow to cool down. The flour will be a sticky mass at this stage
When the dough is completely cooled down, transfer to a working surface or a wide bowl.
Dust the surface and add little ghee to the dough. Knead the dough till it becomes soft dough. It took me about 10 mins.
Pinch equal balls from the dough. Dust with flour and roll out into discs of 4 to 5 diameter size.
Heat the tawa and place the roti over it. Cook on medium flame till you can see small spots coming up on the surface of the roti. Flip it over and cook on the other side. The roti will swell up. Remove from tawa after 1 minute.
Repeat for the remaining balls.
Traditionally these rotis are served with Odiyan Dalma and santula. I served with Dal, Paneer and it was so delicious.

Recipe Notes

While cooking the flour, you could require more or less of the liquid, so depending on that you can add. You can brush ghee over the rotis while cooking.