Gujarati Bhakri Recipe

Piping hot bhakri is made easily with a few ingredients and in about half an hour.  It is a vegetarian and vegan flatbread that is thicker than roti. It is served as an alternative to rotis, such as Jowar (Sorghum) Roti.

It can be made with a mix of flour or with coarse whole wheat flour only. There is a variety of ways it can be made.

This is a Gujarati-style bhakri recipe.  It is also popular in Maharashtra and Karnataka.

Serve these with shaak (especially rasawalla shaak such as Baingan Bharta or like Ringan Bateta Nu Shaak and homemade Dahi (yogurt) as a meal or enjoy as a snack with Masala Chai (cup of tea) and pickles such as Athela Marcha.

You can use leftover bhakri to even make Bhakri Pizza, a popular Gujarati street food.

Bhakri served with Tindora Nu Shaak and Dahi.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Minimal ingredients needed
• Hearty accompaniment to Indian meals
• Tasty as a snack with Masala Chai

Ingredient Notes

Three main ingredients are needed for plain whole wheat bhakri: coarse whole wheat flour, ghee or oil, and water.  Additional spices pictured are optional but make bhakri taste delicious.

Coarse wheat flour: this is the main ingredient and it is sold as Bhakri Flour in the store.  It is slightly more coarse than regular whole wheat flour.  This adds to the texture.

Ghee: an oil like canola can be used as a substitute

Spices: salt, black pepper powder, and ajwain (carom seeds) are delicious optional additions

The bhakri recipe can be adjusted to your liking by changing up the Indian spices.

Bhakri can be served as part of a Gujarati Thali.

Variations

Note: variations in flour will change the amount of water needed.  Add water slowly to make sure the dough does not become too wet.

No coarse wheat flour on hand? You can substitute it with regular whole wheat flour and Rava/sooji.

A mix of flours: You can make this with a combination of flours. Jowar flour (sorghum flour), bajra flour, and coarse whole wheat flour are popular combinations.

For gluten intolerances, you can make Jowar Bhakri using only jowar flour for a gluten-free flatbread

Step-by-step instructions

Add flour to the bowl and make a well in the center.  Sprinkle salt, ajwain, and black pepper around the flour.  Add ghee to the well in the center.

Mix using your hands to combine well and ensure ghee is mixed well with flour.

When you hold a fistful of the flour it should hold together.

Add water and combine well with your hands. Knead to form a firm dough. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.

Make 8 equal balls out of the smooth dough. Roll each dough ball into smooth balls and flatten them into discs in between palms.

Roll out into slightly thick circles with a rolling pin.

Place pan on the stove on medium-high. Once hot, place the the rolled out dough circle in the pan.  Cook each side for 1 minute, flipping in between using a pair of tongs or a spatula.

Now, cook each side for about 1 minute each while pressing down and turning the bhakri with either the wooden presser or a few paper towels crumpled to form a ball.

Make sure both sides are cooked well and don’t look raw.  Then top with ghee.

Pro Tips

1.Add water a little at a time to ensure you don’t make the flour too wet.  There can be differences in the age of flour the and type of flour used. So, add a little water at a time.

2.Cook on medium heat.  I usually keep it just slightly above medium so medium-high.

3. After cooking for one minute on each side you will see light brown spots on each side

4.Check the bhakri for lighter-colored spots that don’t look cooked when you are done pressing them.  Simply flip over and apply pressure to those spots to finish cooking.

5.Once bhakris are roasted, don’t pile them up to cool down.  Place them next to each other.  Otherwise, steam from a hot bhakri can overcook and prevent other bhakris from crisping properly.

The breads used in Indian cuisine are quite varied! From roti to Poori to thepla.  Each of the traditional recipes is made a little differently.

Even bhakri can be cooked a little longer to make even crisper biscuit bhakri.

Bhakri vs. roti

The difference between bhakri and roti is the type of flour used, size, and texture. While roti is made from fine whole wheat flour, bhakri is made from coarse whole wheat flour. Rotis are rolled out thin and bhakris are rolled out slightly thick about 1/8 inch. Roti is softer while bhakri has a crispier texture and softer interior.

Both can be made plain with just flour, oil/ghee, and water.  Bhakri is often flavored with a handful of spices as outlined in this post.

What flour is bhakri made from?

Bhakri is made from coarse whole wheat flour. It is sold as bhakri flour in Indian grocery stores.

Serving Suggestions

Bhakri is eaten with a variety of shaaks (Indian vegetable dishes).  It can also be eaten on its own with a cup of masala chai as a breakfast or snack.

It can also be served with Indian Carrot Pickle or Athela Marcha.