Ragi in rotis without the cracking: a dough guide
Ragi drinks water and has no gluten of its own. Here is how to get it into a soft, rollable roti.
The Farm Flour kitchen · 12 October 2026 · 2 min read
Ragi is deep brown, malty and full of character. It is also the grain most likely to give you a roti that cracks at the edges. That is not your fault. Ragi has no gluten, so on its own there is nothing to hold the dough together when you roll.
1. Keep the share sensible
At 10 to 25% in a wheat-led blend, ragi is easy. The wheat does the stretching and the ragi brings colour and flavour. Above that, rolling gets harder; below about 20% wheat-family grains, switch to patting the roti bhakri style.
A little ragi goes a long way.
2. Warm water, more of it
Ragi absorbs more water than wheat. Use warm water and add it in two or three goes. The dough should feel softer than your usual atta dough.
3. Rest, then knead again
Rest the dough for 20 minutes under a damp cloth, then knead it for another minute. The flour finishes hydrating and the edges stop splitting.
4. Add a little besan
Five to ten percent besan keeps a ragi blend tender for longer, which helps if the rotis are going into a tiffin.
Last reviewed 12 October 2026.
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