Punjabi Karah Kada Gur Ki Roti Jaggery Flatbread

Method

1. 1

   Dissolve jaggery in warm water: Add grated jaggery to warm water. Stir until dissolved. The water turns brown.

2. 2

   Make the dough: Add wheat flour, cardamom and fennel to a bowl. Pour the jaggery-water gradually while mixing. Knead to a soft, smooth dough — slightly softer than regular roti dough because the jaggery makes it more supple. Knead 5 minutes.

3. 3

   Rest 10 minutes: Cover and rest.

4. 4

   Divide into 8 balls.

5. 5

   Roll each: Roll into medium-thin rounds about 14 to 15 cm. The jaggery dough is slightly stickier — flour the surface generously.

6. 6

   Heat griddle: Heat a flat griddle on medium. Apply 1 tsp ghee.

7. 7

   Cook first side: Place the roti. Cook 2 minutes. You may see slight darkening from the caramelising jaggery — this is correct.

8. 8

   Apply ghee generously: Apply 1 tsp ghee on the top surface and around the edges. Flip.

9. 9

   Cook second side: Cook 1.5 to 2 minutes on the second side. Apply ghee again. The roti should be golden-brown with slightly caramelised patches where the jaggery has cooked against the griddle.

10. 10

    Serve immediately: These rotis must be eaten hot — they become slightly firm when they cool. Serve with a cold glass of full-fat milk.

11. 11

    Note: Gur Ki Roti (gur = jaggery in Punjabi, roti = flatbread) is the traditional winter breakfast of Punjab — specifically made in the months when fresh jaggery arrives from the sugarcane mills in November and December. The cardamom and fennel in the dough are traditional additions that vary by family. Eaten with cold fresh milk in the morning, this breakfast represents the harvest-season abundance of sugarcane and wheat together — the two defining crops of Punjab.