Sikkimese Buckwheat Roti

Thick unleavened buckwheat flatbread — phaper (buckwheat) flour kneaded with water into a slightly sticky, dark-grey dough and patted into thick, round flatbreads cooked on a dry iron griddle over moderate heat. The buckwheat gives the roti a distinctive earthy, slightly bitter, nutty flavour and a dense, filling quality that sustains people working in high altitude conditions. Made in the high-altitude areas of North Sikkim and Kanchendzonga region where buckwheat is grown; eaten with pork fat, butter, or any curry available. The same buckwheat roti is made across the Tibetan plateau and appears in different forms from Ladakh to Arunachal.