Poori Indian Deep Fried Balloon Bread Recipes

POORI (DEEP-FRIED PUFFY BREAD)

Steps:

• Combine chapati flour and all-purpose flour (or whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour) with salt in a bowl. Rub 2 tablespoons of oil into it. Add water, fast at first, to moisten the flour so it adheres into a mass; then slowly, little by little, until the dough is formed and can be kneaded.
• Place the dough on the work surface, brush your fingers and knuckles with the remaining teaspoon of oil (this will prevent the dough from sticking to your hand), and knead for 10 minutes or until you have a soft and pliable dough that is smooth and silky in appearance. Note from Epicurious: According to Sahni, the dough can be mixed and kneaded in a food processor without a sacrifice in quality. For instructions, see the Tips, below.
• Cover the bowl with a sheet of plastic wrap or a moist towel, and let it rest for 1/2 hour. (The dough may be made a day ahead and refrigerated, tightly covered. Remove from refrigerator about 30 minutes before you are ready to roll.)
• Put the flour for dusting in a plate, and keep it close to the work surface where the dough is to be rolled.
• Knead the dough again for a minute, and divide into 2 equal portions. With your hands, roll each portion into a rope, and cut each rope into 8 equal portions or pinch off small pieces of dough and roll them into 1-inch balls). Roll the small pieces into smooth balls, dust them lightly with flour to prevent their sticking to each other, and put them back into the bowl. Keep the balls covered loosely with a damp towel or a sheet of plastic wrap to prevent their drying out.
• Working one at a time, place a ball, generously dusted with flour, on the work surface, and roll it into a 5-inch circle, pressing and stretching it with the rolling pin. Dust the dough from time to time to keep it from sticking to the work surface or rolling pin. (All the breads may be rolled ahead of time and kept covered with a sheet of plastic wrap or a moist towel until you are ready to fry them.)
• While the last few breads are being rolled, start heating the oil in a kadhai, chicken fryer, or a deep saucepan that can be used as a fryer. When the oil is very hot and begins to smoke (400°F), drop one bread at a time into the oil. The bread will sink to the bottom. Immediately hold a slotted spoon flat over the bread, as though keeping it from rising, but not quite touching the bread. As the bread begins to sizzle and rise to the surface (about 3-5 seconds), press the bread very gently, as though patting it, for 2-3 seconds. This will puff the bread. Once the bread begins to puff up, be careful not to press the puffed part too hard, or the bread will break and oil will seep in. Let the bread cook until it stops sizzling and the underside is slightly brown. The entire process of puffing and cooking the first side should take about 15 seconds. Gently flip the bread, and let the other side cook about 15 seconds. Take it out, and drain it briefly on kitchen towels. Repeat with the rest of the rolled bread the same way. Serve immediately; or deflate them by placing them on the work surface and pressing gently, and put them in a covered dish or wrap in foil. Just before serving, warm them in a 300°F preheated oven for 15-20 minutes.
• Note: Poori can be served with practically all vegetarian main dishes, all side dishes, and those meat and chicken dishes that have reddish-brown sauces. Poori is traditionally served with Tari Aloo (potatoes in fragrant gravy) in Aloo-Poori, or with Keema Matar (ground beef and chickpeas in cashew nut sauce) in Keema-Poori, a combination generally served for Sunday brunch. You can also serve these combinations at picnics and barbecue parties for an unusual yet delicious flavor. For such occasions, make the pooris ahead, deflate, and wrap them lightly in foil. Just before serving, place them, still wrapped in foil, near the charcoal grill or barbecue pit to heat them slightly.
• Julie Sahni shares her tips with Epicurious:
• Chapati (also called atta) flour, which is more finely ground than American whole wheat flour, is available at Indian grocery stores. A combination of regular whole wheat and all-purpose flours can also be substituted.
• To mix and knead the dough in a food processor: Place the flours and salt in the procesor and buzz briefly to combine. Add the oil and process for 10 seconds. With the machine running, pour in half the water, process for a few more seconds, then turn the processor off. Turn it back on, slowly add a bit more water, process for a few more seconds, and turn it off again. Repeat until the dough forms a ball, reducing the amount of water added each time to just drops as the dough begins to adhere. As soon as a ball of dough has formed, stop adding water. Knead the dough by turning the processor on for 10 seconds, then off, and repeating 4 to 5 times, until the dough is smooth and shiny and feels soft and pliable to the touch.
• A kadhai, a round-bottomed Indian wok, is very useful for deep-frying, but a chicken fryer or other deep sauce pan can be substituted.

HOW TO MAKE POORI (FRIED INDIAN FLATBREAD)

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Place the whole wheat flour in a large mixing bowl and make a well in the center. Add salt to taste, about one healthy pinch.
• Add water, a little at a time, and mix the flour until a dough is formed. Adding less or more water may be necessary depending on the humidity in the air the day you are baking. Go slowly with the water and add it only as needed as you go along. The dough should be soft.
• The real secret of soft pooris lies in the kneading . Turn the dough out onto a clean surface and knead until the dough is smooth and medium soft in consistency, taking care not to over-knead.
• Add 2 tablespoons of oil or ghee to the dough and continue to kneed until the fat is incorporated and dough is silky in texture.
• Place the dough in a bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
• Remove from the refrigerator and divide the dough into golf ball-sized portions. Roll these portions into balls between your hands till they are smooth and without cracks.
• Lightly flour a rolling board or clean counter surface and roll each ball into a 5-inch circle (4-5 mm thick). For convenience, roll out as many pooris as you like and stack them with plastic wrap in between each.
• Heat a shallow amount of oil or ghee in a thick-bottomed, high-sided pan on medium heat. Once hot, fry the pooris one at a time, pressing gently on each side with a slotted spoon. This will help the poori to puff up. Fry on the first side until golden then turn over and fry the same way on the other side.
• Drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining pooris and serve immediately.