Gluten-Free Flatbread
vegan | gluten free
start to finish: 60 minutes
yields 10-12 rotis
This recipe uses amaranth flour as the core of the flour mix and stays clear of heavier gram flour, aka besan, a variety of chickpea flour. The method is straightforward with most of your time spent tending to and flipping the flatbread at the stovetop.
Try serving these with any dish containing cooked spinach. Or simply enjoy with a creamy dip or as a dry snack with tea.
Ingredients:
1⅝ cups amaranth flour
6 tablespoons ground buckwheat
¼ cup flaxseed, roasted and ground
¼ cup tapioca starch
¾ teaspoon salt
⅜ cup canola oil
⅞ cup warm water, or less
Utensils:
medium mixing bowl
12-inch (30cm) large nonstick frying pan or skillet
nonstick silicone baking mat or parchment paper
Method:
Mix the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and pour the oil into it. Use your hand to gently blend the flour into the oil.
Add the water little by little and continue blending by hand until the dough is uniform. The dough should neither be too dry nor gooey. Thus, use only as much water as needed. Use both hands to form a large, soft ball.
Heat a nonstick pan on MEDIUM-LOW. Do not grease the pan.
While the skillet warms up, form the roti. Dip your fingers into a little oil then separate the dough into 12 even-sized portions. Smooth out each chunk of dough into a ball in the palm of your hand then “roll out” on a baking mat by patting down each ball with your hand. Keep your fingers lightly oiled to help flatten and smooth out each roti into discs about 4-5 inches (10-12cm) in diameter and just over ⅛ inch (3mm) thick at the centre.
Adjust the heat up slightly (just under MEDIUM). If using a large pan, you should easily be able to fry two rotis at a time. Place two uncooked rotis (or three if there is ample space) in the hot pan and allow them to cook on one side for 3 minutes, or until you notice the top surface start to dry out and multiple air bubbles form. Flip the roti and fry the other side for another 2-3 minutes. Flip again to check for doneness. Each flatbread should be golden-medium brown on both sides with scattered darker patches. Repeat the frying process for all the rolled out dough. Note: If the rotis are taking more than 7 minutes to cook fully, then adjust the heat higher to MEDIUM and/or make the flatbread thinner.
Tip: Because gluten-free bread lacks the structure of wheat-based options, and also tends to be stickier, it is necessary to use nonstick surfaces to prepare and roll out the dough. Silicone baking mats are ideal, but not necessary. Parchment paper works well too. Feel free to rub a couple of drops of oil on the paper first in order to easily peel off the flattened dough without breaking it.