In a Gujarati home whenever we have unexpected guests, puri (or poori) and a quick potato curry is rustled up as this is a quick meal which is filling and everyone loves the combination. Puri is a small deep fried Indian bread which can be eaten hot or cold. A lot of Indian restaurants serve puri for breakfast with mango pickle or potato curry. It can also be served as an accompaniment with mango raas, shrikand or just about any curry for lunch or dinner too!! Leftover puris are great for breakfast too.
The basic recipe for puris is very simple and can be made plain with just salt or with spices. Adding just a few spices and spinach gives these puris a slightly different look and taste. It still manages to remind me of my childhood my sister and used to help my mum roll out these small puris for her to fry. Now my nieces help us when we need to fry puris for a get together. I made these to go with my shrikand.
Ingredients (serves 6)
- 2 cups of chapatti flour
- ½ tsp of salt
- ¼ tsp of turmeric
- ½ cup partially cooked spinach
- 2 tsps of oil to use when making the dough
- 1 Litre of oil for frying.
- 1 cup of water to make the puri dough.
Method:
1. Chop the spinach finely and cook it with just enough water to soften it. It should only take 3-4 minutes. Leave the water in the spinach
2. Transfer the flour in a mixing bowl and add the salt, turmeric and the boiled spinach. Make a well in the middle of the flour and add the 2 teaspoons of oil.
3. Mix all the ingredients and slowly form a dough by adding the warm water with the spinach a little at a time. You may not need all the water so do add the water with caution. The dough when ready should be firm but pliable. Mix it well and leave it covered with a tea towel for half an hour.
3. Divide the dough into 25 small balls and flatten them ready to roll the puris.
4. Roll out each puri and save them on a clean tray or a clean work top. Try not to keep them on top of each other or they may stick together.
5. While you are rolling out the puris, start heating the oil in a wok or kadhai.
6. Test the oil by dropping a pinch of puri dough in the oil. If it raises quickly to the top, the oil is ready.
7. Reduce the heat slightly and start putting the puris in the hot oil one or 2 at a time.
8. They will start to cook and as soon as they puff up, they will come up, turn them over, cook for 30 seconds and remove onto a clean Kitchen paper.
9. Serve the puris with any curry or shrikand.
How do you like to eat your puris?