Jowar (sorghum) has been the staple grain of Maharashtra and Karnataka for centuries, and it's making a well-deserved comeback as nutrition science catches up to traditional wisdom. For women with PCOS, jowar roti beats wheat roti in several concrete ways: it's naturally gluten-free (which reduces gut inflammation that can worsen PCOS), has a lower GI (62 vs 70+ for wheat), is richer in iron (4.4mg per 100g vs 3.9mg for wheat), and brings more fibre to each meal.
Many women find jowar rotis tricky at first because the dough cracks when rolling — there's no gluten to hold it together. This recipe uses the traditional bhakri technique: mixing with boiling water (which sets the starch and gives structure) and patting by hand rather than rolling with a belan. Once you get the technique, these come together quickly and the result is wonderfully light. We pair it here with a simple spinach-tomato sabzi that adds iron, folate, and Vitamin C.
Ingredients
How to Make It
For the roti: Combine jowar flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre.
Pour freshly boiled water into the flour gradually, stirring with a spoon at first — it's too hot to touch. The hot water gelatinises the starch, which is what gives the dough the binding it needs. Add water slowly; the dough should be soft but not sticky.
Once it's cool enough to handle, knead for 2-3 minutes until smooth. Divide into 8 portions.
To shape (traditional bhakri method): Place a portion on a damp cloth or plastic sheet. Using your fingers and palm, pat it out into a flat circle starting from the centre and working outward — around 5-6 inches in diameter. You can also try rolling between two sheets of plastic with a belan if patting by hand feels difficult initially.
Heat a tawa on high heat. Transfer the roti carefully to the tawa. Cook on high for 1-2 minutes until the surface changes from the raw wet look to cooked. Flip.
For the second side, dab a little water across the top surface with your fingers, then press the roti against an open gas flame (or use a wire rack over the burner) for 20-30 seconds to get that traditional puff. This step makes jowar roti wonderfully light.
For the sabzi: Heat oil in a kadhai. Add mustard seeds. Once they pop, add garlic, then onion. Cook until golden. Add tomatoes, red chilli, and salt. Cook until the tomatoes soften. Add spinach, mix well, cook 2-3 minutes until wilted.
Serve the jowar roti hot with spinach sabzi, a small katori of curd, and a wedge of lemon.
Nutrition per serving
* Approximate values per serving
Health Benefits
Jowar's benefits for PCOS operate on several levels. Its gluten-free nature reduces intestinal permeability — research increasingly shows that gut inflammation drives systemic inflammation, making PCOS symptoms worse. Jowar contains policosanols, plant compounds that improve lipid profiles (important for PCOS women who often have elevated LDL). The iron content is higher than wheat, which matters given that PCOS women frequently lose blood during heavy periods. The dietary fibre in jowar feeds beneficial gut bacteria that produce short-chain fatty acids, improving insulin sensitivity in peripheral tissues. The spinach sabzi adds folate (essential for women trying to conceive), Vitamin C (which enhances iron absorption from the jowar), and magnesium.
Pro Tips
- →Freshly boiled water is the single most critical tip for jowar roti. Room-temperature water does not gelatinise the starch and the dough crumbles and tears.
- →Keep a small bowl of water next to you while patting — wet hands prevent sticking and help you smooth out cracks as you shape.
- →Fresh jowar flour makes dramatically better rotis. Buy small quantities and use within 2 weeks — old flour affects both taste and structure.
- →If the roti cracks while patting, the dough is slightly too dry. Add a small amount of hot water to the remaining dough and knead briefly.
Variations
- 1Jowar-Bajra mix (50:50) for even higher iron and zinc — add ½ tsp ghee on top when serving for better absorption of fat-soluble vitamins.
- 2Add 1 tsp sesame seeds (til) to the dough for additional calcium and hormone-balancing lignans.
- 3Mix in 2 tbsp soybean flour for a protein boost — adds 4g extra protein per serving without significantly changing the texture.
