Chhilka Roti

Chilka roti is a rice-and-chana-dal crepe associated with Jharkhand. Nithya Anantham’s selected recipe starts with soaked rice and dal, rather than a ready flour dough.

The rice and chana dal are washed and soaked in water. They are rinsed the next morning and ground with a little water into a smooth mixture, thicker than the dosa batter used for comparison.

Salt is mixed into the batter, which is whisked to incorporate air. Anantham explains that this helps produce softer crepes.

A skillet is greased with oil and a ladle of batter is spread in outward swirls. More of the same oil is poured around it, then the crepe is cooked on both sides and lifted onto a plate.

The remaining batter is cooked in the same way. The publisher offers garlic chutney and eggplant chokha alongside the rice-and-lentil rotis for breakfast.