Bajra Roti with Ghee and Gur: A Rajasthani Winter Classic

By Thaaro Foods · 8 October 2026

When the nights turn cold in Rajasthan, bajra roti comes off the tawa, gets a spoon of ghee and a piece of gur. Here is how to make it.

Bajra (pearl millet) grows well in Rajasthan's dry fields, and in winter it is on almost every village plate. A hot bajra roti with a spoon of ghee and a piece of gur is one of the simple joys of the season.

Ingredients (6 rotis)

2 cups bajra flour, a pinch of salt, about ¾ cup warm water, ghee to serve, gur (jaggery).

Method

Knead the flour and salt with warm water, a little at a time, for 3–4 minutes until smooth. Bajra has no gluten, so knead only enough dough for one or two rotis at a time.
Take a lemon-sized ball and pat it between wet palms, turning, into a thick round. Or roll it gently between two sheets of plastic.
Place it on a hot tawa. Sprinkle a little water on top and spread it with your fingers.
When the underside has spots, flip it. Then hold it over the open flame with tongs until it puffs a little.
Serve hot with a generous spoon of ghee.

How to serve it

With gur and ghee: crumble gur over the hot roti and pour on ghee.
With saag: sarson or bathua saag, finished with ghee.
With lehsun chutney: garlic and red chilli ground with a little mustard oil.
As malida: crumble leftover roti with ghee and gur into a sweet.

Tips

Use fresh bajra flour; it turns bitter as it ages.
If the edges crack, the dough needs a little more kneading or water.

For more winter cooking, see winter recipes with ghee. Shop bilona buffalo ghee.

Questions

Why does my bajra roti break?

Bajra has no gluten. Knead the dough well with warm water, make one roti at a time, and pat it gently with wet hands.

What is bajra roti eaten with?

In Rajasthan, with ghee and gur, saag, garlic chutney or kadhi.