Thalipeeth is a rustic Maharashtrian flatbread made from bhajani, a flour of roasted grains and lentils. It isn’t rolled: you pat the dough out with wet fingers, poke a few holes and cook it slowly on a tawa until crisp. Serve it with white butter and curd.
Ingredients
- 2 cups thalipeeth bhajani flour (or 1/2 cup each jowar, bajra, besan and whole wheat flour)
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp chopped coriander
- 2 green chillies, finely chopped
- 1 tsp red chilli powder and 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp cumin seeds and 1 tsp sesame seeds
- Salt to taste
- Warm water to knead, about 3/4 cup
- Oil or ghee for cooking, and white butter and curd to serve
Instructions
- Make the dough. Mix the flour with the onion, coriander, chillies, spices, seeds and salt. Add warm water a little at a time and knead into a soft, slightly sticky dough.
- Shape. Grease a sheet of plastic or a damp cloth. Place a lemon-sized ball of dough on it and pat it out with wet fingers into a 6 inch round.
- Make holes. Poke 4 or 5 holes in the thalipeeth with your finger. This lets it cook through.
- Cook. Flip it onto a hot greased tawa, peel off the sheet and drizzle a few drops of oil into each hole. Cover and cook on medium-low flame for 3 minutes.
- Flip. Turn it over and cook the other side uncovered until crisp and brown spots appear.
- Serve hot with white butter, curd or a dry garlic chutney.
Siddhi’s Tips
- Keep a bowl of water beside you and wet your fingers often, so the dough spreads without sticking.
- Cooking it covered first steams the centre; finishing uncovered makes it crisp.
- Make the dough just before cooking. Onion releases water as it rests and the dough turns soggy.
A thick tawa makes thalipeeth crisp without burning; see the best tawas in India and cast iron vs nonstick tawa. For more breads, browse the recipe index.
Prep time: 10 minutes · Cook time: 25 minutes · Makes: 6 thalipeeth