A - Z Karnataka Cuisine ~ B for Biscuit Rotti

We are travelling to Mangalore - Udupi region for today's 'B' dish of Karnataka, the biscuit roti or the biscuit rotti. These are neither biscuits nor rotis. A biscuit rotti is a delicious, crispy snack that is puffed up like a poori. It is stuffed with an interesting filling of a spicy semolina mix and usually served as an evening snack. It resembles a stuffed poori or a kachori but without all the fuss. There is no need for an elaborate preparation of stuffing here as in case of kachoris and so, it cuts down the time of preparation of these rotti / roti drastically. Besides, they are perfectly good to be served on their own. No side dishes required.

This recipe uses the staple ingredients found in most of the south Indian kitchens. Biscuit rotis are made with a flour and semolina outer layer and stuffed with a spicy and flavorful semolina filling which takes about five minutes to prepare. They are then deep fried until golden brown and crisp. This rotti would be a great tasty and spicy alternative to those who are used to partaking biscuits or namkeen during the evening chai / coffee. They are very crisp on the day they are made and remain on a crispier side even on 2nd or 3rd day if they are stored in an airtight container. In case if there are any left overs even after that, I have noticed that they loose crispness. Addition of about 1/2 to 3/4 cup coconut to the filling is common. They may not be stored for longer if fresh coconut is used. If not finishing the rottis on the same day, using dried coconut would be a better option. I haven't used any coconut but the filling was still yum.

Yield: About 7 rotis
Ingredients for the outer layer:
3/4 cup all purpose flour / maida
2 tbsp. fine semolina / chiroti rave
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. hot oil

Ingredients for filling:
2 tsp. oil
1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. skinned and split black gram / urad dal
1 sprig of curry leaves
A pinch of asafoetida powder (optional)
1/8 tsp. turmeric powder
3/4 cup fine semolina / chiroti rave
1/2 to 3/4 tsp. sugar (I used a pinch.)
Salt to taste
Chili powder to taste 

Other ingredients:
Oil for deep frying

Directions:
* Combine flour, semolina and salt in a mixing bowl. Add hot oil and mix carefully. Next add water in small increments to the mix and form a soft, pliable dough. (I think I added about 5 to 6 tbsp. of water.) The final dough should be not too firm or sticky. Cover the dough bowl with a lid and allow it to rest for at least 30 minutes. (I was busy with other things and left it to rest for about 3 hours.)

* Heat 2 or 3 tsp. of oil in a pan. (Just hot is enough, don't bring it to smoking point.) Add mustard seeds, urad dal / black gram to the hot oil and toast it until black gram start to turn reddish and mustard seeds sputter. Add curry leaves, turmeric and asafoetida and stir. Next add semolina and toast on low medium flame until you start to notice the aroma. It may take around 3 - 4 minutes and make sure not to burn it. (One can do it on medium / high flame too but need to take care not to burn and continuously stir.) Next add salt, chili powder and sugar to the pan and mix well. Turn off the stove and let the stuffing come to room temperature. (One can taste and adjust the seasonings too.)
 
* Knead the dough for few seconds and divide it into about 7 or 8 balls. Work with one ball at a time and keep the rest covered. Pat the ball into a disc.

* Roll the disc into a thin circle of about 2.5 to 3 inches diameter. Dust the work surface with small amount of flour if needed while rolling it. Place about 2 tbsp. of the stuffing at the center leaving the edges. (Take care to divide the stuffing mixture equally among the dough balls.) 

* Lift one edge of the dough circle and start pleating. 

* Bring the edges together at the center and join them, taking care not to spill the filling and the filling not come in contact with the edges. If you see any tiny gap, cover it with dough by imitating the pinching action. The point is not to spill the filling while rolling or frying.

* Gently pat it into a disc shape with fingers, making sure that the stuffing is encased in the dough covering without a chance of spilling from anywhere.

* Dust the working surface with flour again if needed. Gently roll the disc into about 2.5 to 3 inches diameter circle. I rolled them thicker but one can a little thinner than mine. One can keep all the rottis rolled and ready to fry or do the rolling and frying simultaneously. 

* Heat about a cup of oil in a frying pan on medium heat. When a small pinch of dough is put into the oil, it must immediately swim to the surface  meaning the oil is at the right temperature to fry. If the dough sinks to the bottom of the pan then the oil needs some more heating. There is no need to bring the oil to a smoking point. 
* Add a rolled disc to the frying pan. When it puffs up flip. Fry until it turns golden brown both sides, flipping intermittently.
* Remove the fried rotti with a slotted spoon, draining as much oil as possible and transfer them to a plate covered with paper towel. 
* Repeat the process of frying with the remaining rottis. Adjust the temperature as needed as you proceed with frying. 
* Enjoy them warm. Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

Now coming to some of the ingredients and recipes that start with "B' sound in Kannada. Vegetables and sometimes fruits either in raw or ripe forms are used to make palya (curry), huli/ saaru / gojju (gravies with / without lentils), pachadi (chutney / raita) preparations. If a recipe is going to use any of the following 'B' ingredient as the star component, then chances are more for the recipe name starting with that B ingredient as well. If one uses badanekayi / aka eggplant and prepare a curry then it will be called badanekayi palya and so on. I have not included these common preparations in my list.

Fruits / Herbs / Vegetables:
Baale dindu - Banana stem
Baale hannu - Banana
Baale Kaayi - Plantain
Badanekayi (ba-dha-nay-kaa-e) - Eggplant / Brinjal
Batani - Peas
Bellulli - Garlic
Bendekayi (ben-day-kaa-e) - Okra / Ladies finger
Boodu kumabalakai - Ash gourd
Brahmi - Pennywort 

Ingredients: 
Badami - Almond
Balaka - Sun dried chillies
Baragu - Proso millet
Bele is Dal / Pulse / Legume
Bella / Bellada paaka - Jaggery / Jaggery syrup
Benne - Butter
Bhattha - Paddy
Bili jola - Sorghum / Jowar

Utensils:
Baanale - Indian style wok

Dishes: (Some names are in Konkani.)
* Badami Poori - A sweet dish
* Badami Haalu - Almond based beverage
* Balehannina rasayana (Version 1) - A sweet side dish made with banana, coconut milk and jaggery
* Badanekayi ennegayi - A famous North Karnataka style eggplant preparation 
* Balekayi dose - Savory plantain pancakes
* Balekai kodilu - Plantain sambhar
* Bassaru - One of the popular gravy accompaniments to ragi muddhe aka finger millet ball in the southern areas of Karnataka like Bangalore, Mysore and other regions. It is prepared with the watery stock that one gets after draining the cooked lentils and hence the name. 
* Batate thoy - A thin potato gravy / rasam
* Belagavi kunda - A popular sweet dish from Belgaum district
* Bella kapi - Black coffee sweetened with palm jaggery
* Bella Methe Dose - Manglorean jaggery - fenugreek seed pancakes
* Bendekayi gojju - A okra gravy native to the state which is a melange of perfectly balanced flavors. A Gojju is made with only a certain variety of vegetables and bendekayi is one of the popular ones.
* Bhakri - Flat breads
* Bibbe sagle - Tender cashew nut curry 
* Bili holige - Holige is a sweet, stuffed flat bread but this is an usual one where it is neither sweet nor spicy like the parathas. 
* Biscuit ambade - Udupi style urad dal bondas aka fried fritters made with a batter of skinned black gram.

* Bisibele bhath - A spicy medley of rice, lentils and vegetables
* Bole - Mangalorean coconut - jaggery based cake
* Bonda soup - Bondas / Fluffy fritters served in a thin lentil based broth

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