Zunka Bhakriझुणका भाकरी

Name: Zunka Bhakri
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Maharashtrian
Ingredients: 2 cups Jowar (sorghum) flour, or bajra flour; approx 3/4 cup Water, hot; a pinch Salt; 3/4 cup Besan (chickpea flour); 1 large Onion, finely chopped; 4 cloves Garlic, minced; 2 Green chilli, finely chopped; 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds; 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds; 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder; 8–10 Curry leaves; 3 tbsp Oil; to taste Salt

⏱ Prep 20m🍳 Cook 35m🍽 Serves 4🌿 Vegan

Video: Kabita's Kitchen (YouTube)

Zunka bhakri is the working heart of Maharashtrian rural food — the meal that sustained generations of farmers, labourers, and herders through long days in the fields. Bhakri is a thick, unlevened flatbread of jowar or bajra flour, coarse and nutty, pressed by hand and cooked directly on embers or a bare tawa. Zunka is its perfect companion: spiced besan cooked completely dry with onion and garlic until it crumbles into a savoury, fragrant heap. Together they are more than the sum of their parts — robust, earthy, and honest.

📍 Make it in Plano

This recipe is the same everywhere — but where you buy the ingredients and eat the dish is local to you.

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Ingredients

For the bhakri
▪Jowar (sorghum) flour, or bajra flour2 cups
▪Water, hotapprox 3/4 cup
▪Salta pinch
For the zunka
▪Besan (chickpea flour)3/4 cup
▪Onion, finely chopped1 large
▪Garlic, minced4 cloves
▪Green chilli, finely chopped2
▪Mustard seeds1/2 tsp
▪Cumin seeds1/2 tsp
▪Turmeric powder1/2 tsp
▪Curry leaves8–10
▪Oil3 tbsp
▪Saltto taste

🌍 Cooking abroad? Substitutions

Jowar (sorghum) flour is the traditional choice; bajra (pearl millet) flour gives a darker, earthier bhakri. Both are available at Indian grocery stores. If neither is available, a half-and-half blend of whole wheat flour and cornmeal makes a reasonable substitute. For the zunka, a very small amount of water is used — resist the urge to add more, as the dish should be dry and crumbly, not wet or paste-like.

Method

1Make the bhakri dough: Mix jowar flour and salt in a bowl. Add hot water (jowar needs hot water to bind) a little at a time, working quickly with your fingers or a wooden spoon. Knead into a smooth, firm dough — it will be stickier than wheat dough. Divide into 4 equal portions. Wet your palms and flatten each portion between your palms into a round about 6 inches across and 1/4 inch thick. Cook on a dry, ungreased hot tawa over high heat for 2 minutes per side, pressing with a cloth. Both sides should have brown spots and the bhakri should sound hollow when tapped.
2For the zunka: heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add mustard seeds — when they pop, add cumin seeds and curry leaves. Fry for 30 seconds, then add onion and green chilli. Cook for 6–8 minutes until onions are golden and soft. Add minced garlic and cook for 1–2 minutes more.
3Reduce heat to low. Add turmeric and stir through. Now add dry besan directly to the pan — do not add water. Stir constantly for 4–5 minutes, breaking up any lumps, until the besan is evenly coated in oil and spices and smells nutty and cooked. Season with salt.
4Sprinkle 3–4 tablespoons of water over the cooked besan, stir through quickly, then cover the pan for 2 minutes so the steam cooks the zunka into a slightly crumbly, moist texture. Uncover, stir once, and the zunka is ready. Serve hot alongside warm bhakri, with a raw onion, dried red chilli, and a drizzle of cold-pressed groundnut oil if you have it.

A Desi.Net original recipe · part of our Indian Cuisine library. Confirm details and adjust to taste.