Bhakri

Bhakri is a round, flatbread found in the cuisines of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Karnataka. Unlike the consistently hard khakhra, bhakri can be either soft or hard. It is made from grains like jowar (sorghum) or bajra (pearl millet), which give it a coarser texture than a standard wheat chapati.

Various millets are common for bhakris, especially in the Deccan Plateau (Maharashtra and northern Karnataka) and semi-arid Rajasthan. In the coastal Konkan and Goa regions, rice flour is used instead. Specific types include jowar bhakri (the most common, made with hot water dough), bajra bhakri (mainly prepared in winter, especially around Sankranti), makai bhakri (cornmeal, also a winter dish, called makai no rotlo in Gujarati), ragi bhakri (from red finger millet), rice bhakri (common in Konkan), wheat bhakri (larger and thicker than a wheat roti, with more oil), and pulse bhakri (from urad dal or a mix of urad and jowar, known as kalna bhakri in the Khandesh region).

To prepare bhakri, the flour is mixed with a little salt and hot water to form a stiff dough. This dough is divided into balls, which are then flattened by hand—either on a surface with the palm or, requiring more skill, between both palms. The flattened bread is cooked on a heated tava (pan), with a little water spread on the upper surface using the cook's fingers. After cooking both sides on the tava, it is finished by roasting directly over a flame. A hard bhakri has a crunchy outer layer.

Bhakri is typically served with yogurt, garlic chutney, pithla, baingan bharta, thecha (green chili and peanut chutney), leafy green preparations, or raw onion. In northern Karnataka, it accompanies stuffed brinjal curry, while in Vidarbha it is eaten with jhunka (a thick pithla variant). In the Khandesh region, bhakri and shev bhaji are common. In coastal Konkan and Goa, rice flour bhakris are often paired with fish curry. Traditionally a rural staple, bhakri was carried to the fields at dawn for both breakfast and lunch, sometimes even serving as a plate for chutney or thecha. Today, while wheat rotis and phulkas have become more common, bhakri remains popular in many regions and as a specialty dish.