Thalipeeth/ Talipeet/ Spiced millet flatbread

As I understand, thalipeeth/ talipeet does not have any hard core rule in making it.  It is a flatbread made with mainly jowar/ sorghum millet flour with other flours & basic spices and herbs. For me it is an easy option to make jowar roti/ jolada roti as I find it difficult to make regular jolad rotti. 
It happened once to me, when I tried making jowar roti and it was a mess as I could not press it and make rotis. Then my friend & neighbour Anuradha suggested to make thalipeeth, which is indeed easy and makes a wholesome breakfast. She did share the recipe too. 
Unfortunately (or fortunately), on the same evening of Jolad rotti disaster, my first trial of kodubale was not a success; finally I finished half of the dough to make kodubales and remaining half ended up in thalipeeth (next morning). It had roasted peanuts, dry coconut, roasted gram, sesame and other spices. The talipeet turned out great when spice mix blended well with the multi grain flours to make it!

It is very nutritious & delicious and can be served as breakfast, dinner or evening snack. I made it some more time after the first success! Try your own and enjoy.

Cuisine: Western India

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 30 - 45 minutes

Serves: 12 - 15 rotis

Ingredients:

Jowar flour – 1½ cup

Wheat flour – ½ cup

Rice flour – ¼ cup (optional)

Grated coconut – 2-3 tbsp (optional)

Salt – 1 tsp, adjust to taste

Roasted peanuts powder – 2 tbsp (optional)

Roasted gram powder – 1 tbsp (optional)

Onions – 1 (finely chopped)

Green chillis – 1-2 (finely chopped)

Curry leaves – 1 sprig (finely chopped)

Cumin seeds – 1 tsp (slightly crushed)

Red chilli powder – ½ tsp (optional)

Coriander powder - ½ tsp

Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp

Oil/ ghee – To cook rotis

Plantain leaves/ butter paper/ aluminium foil – to make rotis, around 12 - 15 (or 6, as you can reuse them to make 2 rotis in 1)

Method:

• Wash & chop onions, green chillis & curry leaves finely and keep aside.
• Roast peanuts until brown and you get nice aroma. Set aside to cool.
• Warm roasted gram dal (putani) and add with peanuts. Make powder of these using a dry mixer jar.
• Now, take a wide mixing bowl. Add chopped onions, chilli, curry leaves and powdered peanuts & dal.
• Add salt, chilli powder and 2 tsp oil.Add crushed jeera (cumin) and mix once. Add coconut too.
• Add flours one by one starting from jowar. Mix thoroughly with your fingers once.
• Add water as needed and make dough which is slightly softer than regular chapathi dough. It should be good enough to press into rotis easily.
• Keep covered for 5- 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile keep the plantain leaves (size should be of a medium paper plate) cleaned if using it or keep aluminium foil or butter paper ready.
• Divide the dough into equal medium orange sized balls.
• Dip your palm in water and press each of the dough balls on a leaf and make round rotis. It will neither be too thin nor too thick.
• Heat the iron griddle.
• Apply little oil on it. Put the roti (one at a time) on top of the hot griddle along with the banana leaf, roti facing the griddle. If aluminium foil or paper plate is used then you can remove immediately.
• Or if banana leaf is used, then cover it with a lid. Remove it carefully when the leaf wilts.
• Flip the roti off to cook other side. Apply little oil. Cook both the sides until you see brown spots.
• Cook and finish all of the pressed rotis same way.
• Serve this roti warm with butter/ ghee and chutney or palya of your choice.
• Chutney powder and curds make a good combination to this roti.

Notes:

• Variations possible with the addition of other flours like mixed millets flour or besan flour.
• Fresh greens like fenugreek (menthe soppu) or Coriander leaves can be used in the dough which gives a rich flavor to the taalipeeth & makes it very delicious.
• Carom seeds can be used.
• Chopped coriander leaves can also be added in the dough.
• Originally it is made with rice, bhajra, jowar & wheat.