Whenever mustard greens (sarson ka saag) are cooked at our house, rice flour roti becomes everyone’s absolute favorite companion. And why shouldn’t it be? The delicious combination of rich, velvety, buttery saag paired with warm, lightly salted, and crispy rice flour roti is pure comfort on a plate.
As a child, I used to specially request my grandmother to make this roti for me, because nothing could match the flavor of the piping-hot rotis made by her hands. Later, with so much love, she taught me all her secret techniques and tips. Now, whenever saag is on the menu, I proudly make these crispy rotis for everyone myself!
Introduction to Rice Flour
Rice flour is a versatile, gluten-free flour made from finely milled rice. It is a fundamental staple in cuisines around the world, particularly across Asia, where it is used to make noodles, breads, pastries, batters, and traditional sweets. Because it lacks gluten, it yields a light, crisp texture when used in fried coatings and acts as an excellent, neutral-tasting thickening agent for soups, sauces, and gravies.
There are two primary types of rice flour:
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White Rice Flour: Made from polished white rice (husk, bran, and germ removed). It has a mild flavor, light texture, and long shelf life.
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Brown Rice Flour: Made from whole rice grains including the bran and germ. It offers a slightly nutty flavor, a darker color, and higher nutritional value (fiber and minerals).
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Glutinous / Sweet Rice Flour: Milled from short-grain sticky rice. Despite the name “glutinous,” it is entirely gluten-free; the name refers to its sticky, gelatinous consistency when cooked (commonly used for foods like mochi or dumplings).
How Rice Flour is Made
While commercial rice flour is produced using high-capacity industrial mills, the core process involves cleaning, soaking, drying, grinding, and sifting the grain.
1. Traditional / Home Method (Wet-Milled Style)
This method produces a very fine flour with good moisture retention, ideal for traditional baking and batters.
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Cleaning & Rinsing: Raw rice grains are thoroughly washed in cold water several times until the water runs clear to remove surface dust and impurities.
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Soaking: The washed rice is soaked in fresh water for 2 to 4 hours (or overnight). Soaking softens the grains, making them much easier to grind into a fine powder without generating heat that damages starch structures.
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Draining: The water is completely drained, and the rice is spread out on a clean towel or cloth for about 15–20 minutes. The goal is for the grains to feel damp, not wet, with no visible pooling water.
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Grinding: The damp rice is ground in small batches using a high-speed blender, food processor, or traditional stone grinder until it reaches a fine powder.
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Sifting: The ground flour is passed through a fine-mesh sieve to separate coarse particles. Any remaining large bits are returned to the blender to be ground again.
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Drying & Storing: To prevent mold growth from residual moisture, the fresh flour is lightly dry-roasted in a pan over low heat for a few minutes (without browning) or spread thin on trays to air-dry completely before storing in an airtight container.
2. Commercial / Dry-Milled Method
Industrial rice flour production typically follows a high-efficiency dry process:
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De-husking & Milling: Raw paddy rice goes through de-huskers to remove the outer shell, resulting in brown rice, or further polished to remove bran layers for white rice.
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Conditioning: The moisture content of the rice is carefully controlled to prepare the grains for optimal milling.
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Impact or Roller Grinding: The grains are fed into industrial pin mills, hammer mills, or roller mills that shatter the rice into microscopic particles.
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Air Classification & Sifting: Air currents and precision mechanical sieves grade the flour into specific mesh sizes (from coarse to superfine) depending on its intended commercial application.
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Packaging: The dried flour is packaged in moisture-proof packaging for commercial sale.
How to Make Rice Flour Roti (Chawal ki Roti / Akki Roti), Step by Step
This is the roti my Nani taught me, seasoned with onion, green chilli, fresh coriander and cumin. The full recipe card is below; first, here are the tips that make the difference between a roti that cracks and one that stays soft.
Why Rice Flour Roti Breaks, and How I Fix It
Rice flour has no gluten, so it cannot stretch like wheat atta. My first rice flour rotis cracked at the edges and broke when I tried to roll them. These are the fixes that work every time:
- Use hot water. Water just off the boil partly cooks the flour and makes it sticky enough to hold together. Cold water gives a crumbly dough.
- Knead while it is still warm, for at least 2 to 3 minutes, until it is smooth.
- Rest the dough for 10 minutes, covered, so the flour absorbs the water.
- Pat, do not roll. Press the dough out with oiled fingers on parchment or directly on the pan instead of using a rolling pin.
- Cook on medium heat. Too hot and the outside burns before the inside cooks; too low and the roti dries out.
What to Serve With Rice Flour Roti
In our house it is always served with sarson ka saag and a dollop of white butter. It is also lovely with daal, yogurt, mint chutney or any dry sabzi.
My favourite way to eat rice flour roti in winter is with sarson ka saag with chawal ki roti and a big spoon of white butter.
Rice Flour Roti (Chawal ki Roti / Akki Roti)
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a bowl, mix the rice flour, onion, green chilli, coriander, cumin seeds and salt.
- Pour in the hot water a little at a time, stirring with a spoon. The hot water partly cooks the rice flour, which is what holds the dough together.
- When the dough is cool enough to touch, add 1 teaspoon oil and knead for 2 to 3 minutes into a soft, smooth, non-sticky dough. Add a splash more hot water if it feels dry or cracks.
- Cover the dough and rest it for 10 minutes.
- Divide into 4 balls. Place one ball on greased parchment or directly on a cold, greased pan, and pat it out with oiled fingers into a thin, even circle.
- Cook on a medium-hot tawa for 2 to 3 minutes with a few drops of oil or ghee around the edges, until the bottom is firm with golden spots.
- Flip and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Serve hot.
Notes
Quick Answers to Common Questions
Is rice flour roti gluten-free?
Yes. Rice flour is naturally gluten-free, so this roti is a good choice for people who avoid wheat.
Why does my rice flour roti crack?
Usually because the dough is too dry or was made with cold water. Knead with hot water and rest the dough before shaping.
Can I use store-bought rice flour?
Yes. Fine white rice flour from the shop works well. Avoid glutinous (sticky) rice flour, which gives a chewy texture.
Can I make rice flour roti ahead?
They are best eaten hot. You can keep the dough covered in the fridge for up to a day, but add a little hot water and knead again before using.
Curious about other flours? Read my guide to making chickpea flour (besan) or explore my guides to edible flours.
