Almond Flour Roti: A Tasty Gluten-Free Alternative

As many people may know, a roti is a traditional round flatbread that is made from whole-wheat flour and is a staple in many Indian homes, along with being an integral part of Indian cuisine. It is often used in place of bread and is the de-facto Indian bread, which is used to soak up various Indian curries, stews, and vegetable preparations. But as nutritious as traditional roti is, the rise in popularity of gluten-free and keto diets means that we need to update our roti preparations to keep pace with various dietary and lifestyle changes. Many people are opting to go gluten-free, and along with the rise in the identification of celiac disease and gluten intolerance in the world population, traditional staples may need to be tweaked to ensure that no one is missing out on beloved staples that they have grown up eating. Enter, the almond flour roti, which is a delicious and healthy variation of the traditional roti recipe, along with being gluten-free and easy to make!

Rotis made with almond flour are light, easy to make, and give you the same comfort of eating a traditional roti while boosting your health due to the various nutrients almond meal is rich in. In this article, we shall understand what almond flour rotis are, along with take a look at their nutritional value, and learn how to make them using two methods: one, a traditional method of making them by hand, and the other, a time-efficient and low-effort method using your trusty Rotimatic.

What is Almond Roti?

Almond roti is nothing but roti made using almond flour, along with stabilizing ingredients, to ensure you get a dough that is easy to work with. Almond flour is made by blanching almonds, then removing their skins and grinding them in a fine powder. Conversely, you can even try using almond meal, which is just ground-up almonds in the form of a coarse powder, as you do not remove the skins. You can either choose to make your almond flour at home or buy it readymade from stores. Almond roti is a healthy alternative to traditional rotis, as it is gluten-free and keto-friendly, and you can incorporate it into your day-to-day diet to benefit from its dense and fiber-rich nutrient profile.

Nutritional Value of Almond Flour Roti

Now that we have understood what almond roti is let us take a look at its nutritional composition. Approximately one almond roti has approximately 90-100 calories, with 3-4 grams of fiber and 3-4 grams of protein present in it. Additionally, it is very low in carbohydrates and high in healthy monosaturated fats, which are good for your body, and you can consume them regularly in place of other saturated fats. Furthermore, almond roti is high in micronutrients like vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, and manganese, making it an all-rounder roti that will give you energy along with helping boost body functionality.

How to Make Almond Flour Roti?

Now that we know the benefits of almond roti let us understand the process of making it. All you have to do is take store-bought or homemade almond flour, salt, any aromatics or spices you want, along with a stabilizing agent like coconut flour or psyllium husk, oil, and water, and knead it into a simple dough. As almond flour is gluten-free, your dough may be a bit crumbly, but you should add extra water gradually and knead it slowly until you have the desired consistency. Let it rest for some time, portion it out into small dough balls, roll it into rotis or shape using a round cutter, and roast it on a tawa. It is that simple! Almond flour roti is fiber-rich, which means it is light on your digestive system, but at the same time, it helps you feel full for a long amount of time. Additionally, you can even make your almond flour at home if you do not wish to buy commercial brands! Let us now read about how to make roti using almond flour, made the traditional way.

Almond Flour Roti Recipe: Traditional Method

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Cook Time: 15 Minutes

Rest Time: 15 Minutes

Total Time: 45 Minutes

Yield: 5-6 Rotis

Ingredients

• 2 cups blanched almond flour
• 3-4 tbsp whole psyllium husk 
• ½ tsp salt 
• ¼ tsp asafoetida/hing (optional)
• 3-4 tbsp oil (any variety, for dough and roasting)
• Warm water (as required)

Preparation Process:

1. In a mixing bowl, add in your almond flour, psyllium husk, salt, and asafoetida, and mix.
2. Next, add in your oil, and mix. It is preferable to stick with coconut or olive oil, as they are healthier and will complement the flavor profile of the almond flour.
3. Gradually, start adding in your warm water and start mixing your dough. Add the water in small amounts so that you have more control of the kneading process.
4. As the dough is gluten-free, it may be a bit crumbly, but that just means you need to add a bit more water and knead carefully into you have a homogeneous ball of dough with no cracks. The psyllium husk ensures that the dough will hold shape.
5. Set the dough aside and let it rest for 15 minutes in a covered dish.
6. After resting, portion the almond flour dough into separate doughs about 1 inch in diameter.
7. Place the dough balls on greased parchment paper, and cover them with another parchment. Then, using a rolling pin, roll out the dough balls to your desired size, roughly 6 inches in diameter. You can flatten out the dough by hand as well, and then even out the edges by cutting a round shape using a lid or circular cutter. Ensure that the dough is of even thickness throughout. Repeat this process for all the dough balls.
8. Then, heat a skillet or tawa on low heat and add some oil. You can use regular oil for this step or continue to use olive oil, but ensure that you are using cooking olive oil and not the extra virgin kind, as that may not be suitable for this.
9. Remove the parchment paper from on top of the almond roti, and then place it upside down on the heated tawa, as you peel off the second layer. 
10. Roast the roti on one side and then flip it over until you see golden-brown spots appear on each side of the roti. 
11. Viola! Your almond flour keto roti is now ready! Remove from heat and store it in a covered container or enjoy warm.

Almond Flour Roti Recipe: Rotimatic Method

In this section, we shall be exploring a recipe to make almond flour roti by Namrata Sharma, our beloved Rotimatic user.She shared her experience and recipe for making delicious almond and oats flour masala roti on the Rotimatic users' Facebook page, known as Changemakers by Rotimatic. We were glad to find that she, along with countless other users, loved the Rotimatic experience! Our fully automated AI-based technology gives you a roti in just 90 seconds! Rotimatic allows you to use a vast variety of healthy cereal-based flours to make rotis, all at the push of a button! Rotimatic is the future for busy, health-conscious individuals who want the warmth of healthy home food after a long day at work, in a fraction of the time and effort.

Ingredients

• 1 cup almond flour
• 2 cups oats flour
• 3 tbsp dry milk powder
• 2 tbsp Aashirvaad Multigrain flour (for binding)
• Flax seed powder
• Crushed ajwain seeds
• Black pepper powder
• Dry methi powder or kasoori methi powder
• Roasted cumin powder

Preparation Process:

1. In a mixing bowl, add in your almond and oats flour, along with milk powder, multigrain flour, flax seed powder, crushed ajwain seeds, black pepper powder, kasoori methi powder, and cumin powder.
2. Mix all dry ingredients thoroughly until combined.
3. Add the flour mixture into your Rotimatic flour container.
4. Add hot water and oil into their respective containers.
5. Set the machine to Aashirvaad MG flour mode, with the thickness setting at 1, the roast settings at 2, and the oil settings at 1.
6. Start the machine and let your Rotimatic do its magic!
7. Voila! Your tasty, healthy almond flour rotis are ready to eat and enjoy!

Storage Suggestions

Almond rotis are best consumed hot off the tawa, but you can easily store them in a covered container between damp towels to retain moisture and softness so that they are ready to eat later. Additionally, if you wish to make them beforehand, you can! Just make the dough listed in the recipe above, wrap it in cling film, and store it in an airtight container. You may need to knead it again, but you can use the dough for 1-2 days to make fresh almond rotis whenever you want! Furthermore, you can even make the rotis before. When you want to eat them, cover them in damp paper towels, and store them in an airtight or vacuum-packed container in the fridge for 1-2 days if you are doing meal prep. Just remove and heat up on a skillet or the microwave with a damp towel, and you will have fresh almond rotis ready to eat!

FAQ:

1. Can you substitute almond flour for regular flour?

As almond flour doesn't have gluten, it is a little difficult to replace it in all recipes directly due to it being more moist and having less structure as compared to wheat flour. But, if you use stabilizing agents like xanthan gum, psyllium husk, etc., to balance it out. Furthermore, you can use almond flour in a 1:1 ratio with regular flour to give your recipes an additional health boost, while retaining the same structure, but you may need to add more almond flour to make the batter easier to work with.

2. Does almond flour roti taste like almonds?

Almond roti will have a slight almond flavor, but it will usually be unnoticeable due to the spices present in the roti, along with the accompaniments you eat your roti with.

3. I don't have psyllium husk. Can I leave it out?

It is important to include psyllium husk as it helps to bind the roti dough together. If you do not have that on hand, you can try using flaxseed powder mixed with water. This will form a slurry-like mixture that will help in binding. But, keep in mind that the roti will have a different texture.

4. My almond flour roti dough is crumbly. What can I do?

If your dough is crumbled, add in small quantities of water gradually and mix just enough to make a fully-formed dough. Be careful not to overmix as that may result in tougher and chewier rotis.