Swala or the Sewala is a stuffed deep-fried Indian Bread from the state of Uttarakhand. These stuffed pooris don't require a side dish, you can simply serve it with butter and pickle.
Uttarakhand, formally known as Uttaranchal is a state located in the northwestern part of the country. During our exploration of regional cuisines in our previous BM Editions, I had made Mandua Ki Roti, Lesu, Kulath Ki Dal from Uttarakhand. However, I don't remember coming across this stuffed poori. Only during this recent Indian Thali research, I came across a website that talked about the author's trekking to Uttarakhand and their experience enjoying garhwali food.
She mentions eating Gehat Hi Daal and being served pooris called swala or Sewala. These stuffed pooris are huge in size and resemble Radhaballavi or chole bature. The stuffing felt like it had Gehat ki dal. Gehat is horse gram also known as Kulath ki Daal. These stuffed pooris are served with aloo torkari or aloo subzi. However, when I further searched for Swala, I came across recipes from Uttarakhand sites that had Toor dal as the stuffing.
Then just as I was writing this post, I came across a video where lobia is used as stuffing. Well, I can only conclude that they stuff with some lentils! I made these Toor Dal stuffed pooris or Swala during one of my Mega BM cooking and it was a hurried affair. I managed to click pictures of only two processes. Since toor dal gets cooked almost on daily basis, I can always repeat these pictures.
So with so many different recipes with different stuffing, I don't know which one is authentic unless somebody from that state actually confirms. However, the poori is called Swala or Sewala and it meets my requirement for AtoZ Indian Pooris. I had a choice to pick like Stuffed Pooris, Saranachi, which is again a sweet stuffed poori. I am not a fan of anything sweet stuffed. So Swala it was!
We are starting the new BM#115 week2, where I will be sharing S, T, U under the AtoZ Indian Pooris. We are getting nearer to the September Mega BM and I still have two more to get done. I can't wait for it to begin for me to finally share those thalis!
Ingredients used to make Swala or Sewala
The outer dough is made with wheat flour, unlike other stuffed pooris that use all purpose flour.
The cooked dal is spiced with green chilies, coriander leaves, and ginger.
The pooris are made a little thick to hold its shape, so make a stiff dough.
Serving Suggestions
This stuffed pooris can be served with just butter and pickle or curds.
Or if you want you can serve with aloo sabzi
Swala or Sewala from Uttarakhand ~ A to Z Indian Pooris
Ingredients
- 1/ 2 cup Toor Dal
- 1 inch Ginger
- 3 nos Green Chillies
- Handful Coriander Leaves
- A Pinch Turmeric powder
- 1/ 2 tsp Red Chili powder
- Salt to taste
- For the outer layer
- 1 cup Wheat flour
- Salt to taste
- Water to knead the dough
- Cooking Oil for deep frying
Instructions
- Wash and pressure the toor dal with turmeric powder.
- Once the pressure falls down, take the dal along with ginger, green chilies, coriander leaves and grind to a paste.
- To knead the dough, take the flour in a bowl, along salt and slowly add water to knead to a stiff dough.
- When ready to make the pooris, pinch out equal balls of the dough.
- Flatten one ball and place the stuffing in the center and enclose on all sides to cover it properly.
- Flatten the balls and dust well.
- Roll it with a rolling pin carefully to make sure the stuffing doesn’t come out.
- Heat a kadai with oil and when it is hot, gently drop in the pooris and cook on both sides.
- Drain on a kitchen towel and serve with aloo subzi.
This was part of the AtoZ series I did on Indian Pooris, for the entire collection of A to Z Indian Pooris, check the roundup.
If you are looking for different options for Indian Breakfast and feel adventurous about making it in alphabets, do see the roundup of A to Z Indian Breakfast dishes.
Vaishali says
Interesting , poori stuffed with toor dal , is new to me . It looks quite a meal by itself - poori and sabzi , but stuffed one makes it more interesting and delicious .
Suma Gandlur says
I have eaten the sweet toordal polis but a spicy version puffed bread sounds wonderful and interesting too.
Rafeeda - The Big Sweet Tooth says
What an interesting poori, and that too with a stuffing! I would make nothing for the side, maybe just dahi and achaar... hehe...
Harini Rupanagudi says
Wow! that is a new one. Never heard of toor dal stuffed poori.