Gluten Free Almond Flour Roti

This easy gluten free almond flour roti recipe takes just a few pantry ingredients and is perfect for serving with vegetarian Indian main dishes. There are no weird ingredients. I just wanted to make a simple version at home.

Indian roti is a staple food served daily in many Indian households. This gluten-free almond flour roti is a delicious recipe that can replace your normal roti or regular roti made with whole wheat flour as a low-carb roti.  

Ingredients

This almond flour roti requires a few key ingredients that are easy to find. Some recipes use xanthan gum, guar gum, and psyllium husk, but I wanted to make these with minimal ingredients.

• Almond Flour: Almond flour is the primary ingredient and provides the base for the roti. It is made from finely ground blanched almonds and contributes a nutty flavor to the roti. 

For those based in the US, I’ve used the Kirkland almond flour available at Costco. In my experience, using store-bought superfine blanched almond flour will produce the best, consistent results.

Criteria	Super Fine Blanched Almond Flour	Homemade Almond Flour
Texture	Finely ground, smooth, consistent.	Texture can be adjusted based on the grind at home, potentially coarser. A coarser texture may result in an uneven textured roti.
Convenience	Readily available, saves time	It requires processing almonds at home, which takes additional time and effort.
Consistency	Uniform particle size, consistent	It depends on the grind’s flexibility to adjust the texture.
Overall Suitability for Roti	Well-suited for softer, more delicate roti	It is suitable but may result in a slightly different texture.

• Oil: I used canola oil. Other common choices include olive oil, coconut oil, or ghee.

• Water: Water is a binding ingredient to form a dough. The amount of water needed may vary, usually added gradually to achieve the right consistency. Water helps create a workable dough that you can easily roll into rotis.
  
• Salt:
  Salt provides a savory element that complements the nuttiness of the almond flour. Adjust salt to your preference or skip.

Knead the Dough

In a bowl, combine the almond flour, oil and salt. Mix well with hands or a fork to ensure an even distribution of salt and oil.

Add half the water mix to combine. Then, slowly add the remaining water as needed. I used all of the amounts listed. Knead well with your hands for five minutes.

You will get a smooth, pliable dough.  Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.

Divide the dough into four portions approximately the same size.

Make Roti

Line a tortilla press with plastic wrap or a cut Ziploc bag on both the top and bottom. Place the lightly flattened almond flour roti on the bottom and close to form shape.  

Alternatively, you can place a dough ball between two sheets of parchment paper or between a cut Ziploc bag. Flatten the dough into a thin, round roti using a rolling pin.

See more tips on using a tortilla press below.

Cook on a Pan

Open the tortilla press, carefully peel off the flattened dough, and transfer it to a hot skillet or griddle.

Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat. Carefully transfer the flattened roti onto the hot pan.

Cook the roti on both sides until golden brown and cooked through. Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side until golden brown spots appear. Almond flour roti may cook faster than traditional roti, so keep an eye on it to prevent overcooking.

Repeat: Repeat the rolling and cooking process for the remaining dough portions.

Serve: Serve the almond flour roti warm. 

Using A Tortilla Press

The traditional Indian roti-making method entails rolling out each dough ball with a rolling pin.

Since the almond flour roti dough is gluten-free, it is more challenging to roll out with a rolling pin.  Instead, you can use a tortilla press.

Using a tortilla press for almond flour roti can save time and effort, providing a quick and efficient way to achieve uniform results.

This will also make transferring the flattened dough to the cooking surface easier.

1. Use Parchment Paper or Plastic Wrap:
   To prevent the dough from sticking to the press, place a small piece of parchment sheet or plastic wrap on both plates of the tortilla press.
2. Press the Dough:
   Place one portion of the dough in the center of the parchment paper or plastic wrap on the bottom plate of the tortilla press. Cover it with another piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap.

If using plastic wrap/cut Ziploc bag, I found spreading a little oil made it MUCH EASIER to remove the roti from the plastic.

Close the tortilla press and apply gentle pressure to flatten the dough. Be careful not to press too hard, as almond flour dough can be more delicate than traditional wheat flour dough.

You will get a round shape that’s perfect!

Tips

1. You don’t need too much water. Add a little bit at a time.
2. Keep an eye on the heat level when making rotis.  Use medium-high heat and adjust to medium if it browns too quickly, as all stoves are a bit different.
3. Look for a superfine almond flour or almond meal at grocery stores.  The grind impacts the density and taste of the roti.
4. If using plastic wrap/cut Ziploc bag, I found spreading a little oil helps peel the roti circle.
5. Add chia seeds or flax seeds for a variation.

Serving

In Indian cuisine, we serve roti with many main dishes, such as sabzi. This delicious flatbread is best served warm as a side dish to hearty mains like Aloo Gobi Matar or Butter Paneer Masala.  

Storing

The roti is best served fresh.  Keep keto chapati in an airtight container.

You can store uncooked roti dough in the fridge.