Sorghum Tandoori Roti is a nutritious and flavorful Indian flatbread made using sorghum flour (Jowar atta) and cooked to achieve that classic tandoor-style smokiness without refined flour. Traditionally, tandoori roti is made using maida or wheat flour and baked in a clay tandoor, but this healthier version uses sorghum, making it high in fiber, gluten-free, diabetic-friendly, and easy to digest.
This roti is perfect for anyone who wants to enjoy restaurant-style Indian breads while sticking to a clean and mindful diet. With the right technique, sorghum tandoori roti turns out soft inside, slightly crisp outside, and beautifully smoky, pairing perfectly with dals, curries, and grilled vegetables. It’s an excellent option for daily meals, weight-management diets, and millet-based eating 🌿✨
🌿 Why Sorghum (Jowar) is Ideal for Tandoori Roti 🌾
Sorghum is one of the most commonly consumed millets in India, especially in rural and traditional diets. It is known for its strength-giving and gut-friendly properties.
Key health benefits of sorghum include:
✔ High dietary fiber – improves digestion & satiety
✔ Low glycemic index – supports blood sugar control
✔ Rich in iron, magnesium & antioxidants
✔ Naturally gluten-free – suitable for gluten sensitivity
✔ Keeps you full longer – helps in weight management
Using sorghum instead of wheat or maida makes tandoori roti lighter, more nutritious, and suitable for everyday consumption.
🔥 What Makes Tandoori Roti Special?
Tandoori roti is loved for its charred spots, smoky aroma, and chewy-soft texture. Even without a traditional clay tandoor, you can recreate this effect at home using a tawa and direct flame.
🫓 Slightly crisp outer layer
🔥 Smoky, roasted flavor
🌾 Hearty and filling texture
🥗 Perfect base for healthy meals
Sorghum flour absorbs moisture differently than wheat, so correct dough handling is the key to soft rotis.
📝 Ingredients 🧺
For Sorghum Tandoori Roti Dough:
- Sorghum flour (jowar atta) – 1 cup
- Salt – as per taste
- Oil – 1 teaspoon
- Hot water – as needed (very important)
For Cooking:
- Water – for applying on roti
- Ghee or butter – optional (for brushing)
👩🍳 Step-by-Step Cooking Method 🥄
🌾 Step 1: Preparing the Dough
Take sorghum flour and salt in a bowl. Add oil and mix.
Slowly add hot water and knead using a spoon first, then with hands, to form a soft, smooth dough. Sorghum dough should be softer than wheat dough.
Cover and rest for 10–15 minutes.
🫓 Step 2: Shaping the Rotis
Divide the dough into equal portions. Roll each portion gently between your palms.
Place the dough ball between plastic sheets or dust lightly and roll into medium-thick rotis. Avoid making them too thin.
🔥 Step 3: Tandoori-Style Cooking
Heat a thick tawa on high flame.
Apply water lightly on one side of the roti and place the wet side down on the hot tawa.
Once bubbles appear and the roti sticks to the tawa, flip the tawa upside down and cook the roti directly on open flame until brown spots appear and it puffs slightly.
👉 If open flame is not available, cook on covered tawa until well roasted.
✨ Step 4: Finishing Touch
Remove roti from flame and brush lightly with ghee or butter (optional).
Serve hot immediately to enjoy softness and aroma.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions 🌿
Sorghum Tandoori Roti pairs beautifully with:
- Dal tadka or dal makhani 🍲
- Paneer or vegetable curries 🥕🧀
- Grilled vegetables or kebabs 🔥
- Curd or raita 🥛
It also works well as a wrap base for healthy rolls.
💡 Tips, Variations & Pro Cooking Notes 🌟
✔ Always knead sorghum dough with hot water
✔ Keep dough soft to prevent cracking
✔ Do not overcook or roti will turn hard
✔ Add garlic paste or kasuri methi for flavored rotis
✔ Mix a spoon of curd in dough for extra softness
✔ Best eaten fresh; reheating may reduce softness
🥗 Health Benefits at a Glance 📊
🌾 Sorghum – high fiber, low GI grain
🫓 Gluten-free roti – gut-friendly
🔥 Tandoori style – less oil, more flavor
💚 Supports digestion, weight control & energy
🌼 Conclusion ✨
Sorghum Tandoori Roti is proof that healthy eating doesn’t mean giving up traditional flavors. With its smoky aroma, hearty texture, and impressive nutrition profile, this roti is a perfect alternative to wheat or maida-based breads. Whether you’re transitioning to millets, managing diabetes, or simply looking for a nourishing flatbread, sorghum tandoori roti deserves a regular place on your plate 🌾🫓💛