Alright, let me tell you about my little kitchen experiment the other day. I was specifically looking for some gluten-free options, you know, trying to eat a bit differently. Heard about Tarla Dalal having a bunch of recipes, so I decided to check them out.
Finding the Recipes
So, I started searching around specifically for ‘Tarla Dalal gluten free recipes’. Found her website, and yeah, quite a collection there. Lots of familiar Indian dishes but adapted. It took me a bit to decide what to try first. Didn’t want anything too complicated for the first run.
Picking One and Getting Ready
I settled on trying a simple Jowar Roti recipe. Just plain sorghum flour flatbread. Seemed like a good staple to master. I read through the steps. Looked easy enough on paper.
Checked my pantry. Okay, needed Jowar flour. Had salt, had water, obviously. Made a note to pick up fresh Jowar atta on my next grocery run. Got that done the next morning.
Making the Dough
Back in the kitchen, I got everything out. Measured the Jowar flour into a bowl, added the salt. The recipe called for hot water, which is pretty standard for these kinds of flours. Added the hot water slowly, mixing it with a spoon first because, well, it was hot. Once it was cool enough to handle, I started kneading it. This part is key. You gotta knead it well while it’s still warm to get a smooth dough. It felt different than regular wheat dough – not stretchy at all, more like clay, I guess?
Rolling and Cooking
Now for the tricky part – rolling. Gluten-free doughs can be crumbly. I took a small ball of dough, flattened it slightly. Put some dry jowar flour on the rolling surface. Rolled it out gently. Had to be careful not to press too hard, or it would just crack and stick. My circles weren’t exactly perfect, let’s be honest. More like rustic maps.
- Heated up my tawa (the flat griddle pan).
- Placed the rolled roti on the hot tawa.
- Cooked it for maybe a minute on one side, till I saw tiny bubbles.
- Flipped it over using tongs. Cooked the other side.
- Then, the fun part: picking it up with tongs and putting it directly on the flame for just a few seconds. This helps it puff up. Some puffed nicely, others just got a bit charred. It’s always a bit hit or miss.
The Result
Stacked them up as I made them. Okay, they looked like rotis! How did they taste? Pretty good, actually. They have a distinct, slightly earthy flavour, which I quite like. Texture-wise, they are denser than wheat rotis, definitely not as soft or pliable. But eaten hot, with some ghee brushed on top, alongside some dal and vegetables I had made earlier? Really satisfying.
So, yeah, my first try with a Tarla Dalal gluten-free recipe went well. The instructions were clear enough. It just confirmed that working with gluten-free flours takes a bit of practice, especially the rolling part. But definitely doable. Glad I gave it a shot.