Poori or Puri is an Indian Bread made with Whole Wheat flour. It is one of the most sought out dishes served mostly for breakfast but can be served for any meal.
There are so many side dishes that can be served along with Puris. The most famous is the Aloo Bhaji or Channa Masala. In fact, the combination is called Poori Channa, Poori Aloo, etc. Poori made with whole wheat flour is the simplest form of this deep-fried Indian Bread.
Indian Bread varies from simple Roti, Puri to complex bread like Naan Rumali Roti, etc. Of all the Flatbreads, these unleavened bread, along with Rotis, form the staple food across many states in India.
Flatbreads are my most favorite category across countries. When I thought of making Flatbreads, I was checking and updating my older posts, I suddenly realized that I do not have a proper post dedicated to my most favorite bread of all.
I had the poori recipe listed as part of another dish. Which is not acceptable. Hence I spent my Sunday morning clicking pictures and wanted to have a dedicated post for Pooris.
Simple basic Pooris are made with just water and salt. We can make stuffed pooris, pooris with other flours. Luchi is a famous poori made with All purpose flour.
I remember writing a post on the different Indian Bread, I can't pick it up right now. I Will link once I land on it.
I will be doing Flatbreads as part of BM#69. For day 1 it is our humble Poori. Our Sunday Breakfast is alternated with Appam or Poori.
Some of the dishes that are served with pooris are Channa Masala, Pesara Pappu Kura, Potato Masala
Making Pooris that is not greasy and puffed up Poori is an art in itself. Amma always makes great puris and I have learned the trick from her. Our pooris always puff up and are not so oily. To get this, we should knead the dough just before serving. If the dough rests, it tends to get soft, which will dunk more oil. The dough should also be stiff and not soft as we make for chapattis.
Step by Step pictures for making Pooris
Recipe
Poori Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups Wheat flour / Atta
- 1 cup Water
- Salt to taste
- Cooking Oil deep for frying
Instructions
- Take a bowl with the atta. Add salt and mix well. Add water little by little and knead well till you get a stiff dough. The stiffness is to make sure pooris doesn't dunk more oil and not much flour is required to dust it while we roll them out.
- The poori dough need not be rested as it will absorb more water after resting. Pinch into into equal size balls. Dust with flour and using a rolling pin, gently roll out discs. You should not use too much pressure as it will make the dough stick to the board and will get a dent. Roll out all the ones that are required to be fried.
- Heat oil in kadai, check if its really hot. This can be done either by dropping a small piece of dough or by keeping our hands over the kadai. If you feel hot waves coming out, then it means its hot enough. Just take care not to keep it too close.
- Lift the poori and dab off excess flour if any sticking to the poori. If it has extra flour, the flour will settle in the oil later, which needs to be avoided. Then slide it gently into the oil. When you slide it from one edge, oil will not splash. Gently press the poori with the slotted spoon, this way it will get cooked evenly and it will rise. Then immediately roll over the other side. Cooking this side will take few seconds more as this is the thicker side.
- When its done, just keep it resting on the kadai side so that excess oil will drain away. Remove on to a kitchen towel.
Notes
Whenever I eat poori, I remember my friend's Mom. When we had gone to her place one evening, she prepared Poori for evening tiffin. All my friends, after eating just 2 or 3 pooris, said they can't eat anymore. I never had such hassles. But looking at my friends, Aunty was surprised and said being teenagers we should eat more of such oily food, as we may not be able to eat it at a later stage. How true she was!
Wish I could do it again!
Gayathri Kumar says
I am so surprised that you haven't done poori in the blog. Love these nicely puffed pooris. And yes, what your friend's mom said is so true.
Srivalli says
Gayathri, my previous post on Poori was part of another post and didn't have any pictures as well. So I decided I must create a new post with step by step pictures..:)
Vaishali Sabnani says
The poori looks melt in the mouth kinds, so well puffed.
Annu says
Evergreen pooris. Who can resist them.
@chefmireille says
beautiful puffy pooris - hope I can master it soon 🙂
Priya Suresh says
Who will say no to pooris, somehow i dont like to prepare myself at home, wish you pack me some.
Harini-Jaya R says
beautiful looking puffed up pooris, Valli
cookingwithsapana says
Love how puffy the pooris are. The whole platter is mind blowing. This is my kind of breakfast.
Jeena says
super fluffy and yummy pooris... I can eat it as it is.
Pavani says
Perfectly puffed up Pooris. It's been ages that I had or made pooris 🙁 Will have to make them some time. Totally agree with your friend's mom -- I think ignorance is bliss -- That was a golden age when we didn't know what that oil would do to us 🙂