Soft Garlic Millet Flatbreads

Jowar and bajra have been staple grains across much of India for a very long time, long before wheat became the everyday flour in most kitchens. Jowar, also called sorghum, is a sturdy grain that grows well in dry weather, and bajra, or pearl millet, is one of the oldest cultivated millets in the country. Both flours are a little coarser and earthier than wheat, which is why this dough needs a gentle hand and plenty of warm water to come together. If you would like a different millet flatbread to try alongside these, Soft Punjabi Cornmeal Roti is another rustic option. Don't worry if the first roti tears at the edge. Millet dough is less stretchy than wheat, so patting and rolling slowly works better than pushing hard with the pin.

The garlic paste and green chilli paste do most of the flavour work here. Garlic gives a mellow, savoury base, and the sesame seeds add a toasty bite that you can smell as soon as the roti hits the tava. If you have a stovetop burner, the open-flame finish is worth the minute it takes. Lifting the roti with flat tongs and letting it puff and char in spots is how these get their rustic look and their smoky edge. Keep the heat medium so the inside cooks through before the outside darkens too far.

A few things I've learned from making these over and over. Keep the dough covered with a clean cloth while you roll the others, because millet dries out faster than wheat and cracks at the rim. Dust with extra jowar flour rather than wheat flour, or the roti will taste a little flat. And eat them while they are warm. Once they cool, millet flatbreads go stiff quickly, though you can wrap leftovers in a cloth and warm them on the tava for a few seconds with a splash of water to bring them back.

For serving, I like these with something tangy and green. A bowl of plain dal, a spoonful of tomato chutney or a simple cucumber raita all sit nicely beside them. If you want a meal that feels like a full plate, pair them with a bowl of Silky Green Spinach Soup on a cool evening, and they also go well with Soft Jowar Atta Flatbreads if you are cooking a bigger batch for the family. Leftover rotis can be torn into a pan of onions and tomatoes for a quick breakfast, which is my favourite way to finish them off.