Vaghareli Rotli (Gujarati Spiced Leftover Roti)
A 10-minute Gujarati breakfast made by tossing day-old torn roti in a fragrant mustard seed and curry leaf tempering. Zero waste, one pan, and full of flavour.
Equipment
- Wide pan or kadhai
Ingredients
For the vaghareli rotli
- 3-4 leftover rotis day-old work best
- 1.5 tbsp neutral oil or ghee
- 0.5 tsp mustard seeds
- 6-8 curry leaves fresh or dried
- 1 dried red chili broken in half
- 1 pinch hing asafoetida
- salt to taste
Optional add-ins
- 1 small onion optional; thinly sliced
- 1 green chili optional; finely chopped
- 2 tbsp roasted peanuts optional
- fresh coriander, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Prep the rotli
- Tear the rotlis into rough, uneven pieces about 2-3 cm each. Tearing rather than cutting gives jagged edges that catch the tempering and crisp up better in the pan. Set aside.
Make the vaghar (tempering)
- Heat oil or ghee in a wide pan or kadhai over medium heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the mustard seeds and wait for them to pop, about 20-30 seconds.
- Add the curry leaves (stand back, they'll sputter), dried red chili, and hing. Let everything sizzle for 10-15 seconds until fragrant.
- If adding onion or green chili, add them now and cook for 3-4 minutes until the onion softens and turns lightly golden.
Toss and cook
- Add the torn rotli pieces to the pan. Toss well so every piece is coated in the tempering.
- Spread into a single layer and cook on medium heat for 3-4 minutes, turning once or twice, until the edges pick up a little colour and the rotli is heated through.
- Add salt, scatter over peanuts or coriander if using, and serve immediately.
Notes
Tear, don't cut: rough edges absorb the vaghar better and get crispier than knife-cut pieces.
Oil vs. ghee: oil keeps it vegan and lighter; ghee gives a richer, nuttier flavour. A half-and-half mix works well.
Don't rush the mustard seeds: wait until the oil shimmers visibly before adding them, or they'll turn grey and bitter.
Dry version: reduce fat by half and cook on medium-high without stirring for 60-90 seconds at a time for a chip-like result.
Storage: vaghareli rotli softens within an hour. Make only what you'll eat right away. For a shelf-stable snack from leftover roti, try roti chiwda instead.
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