Puri Food

PURI RECIPE

Steps:

• Take the wheatflour in a deep glass bowl and add the salt, semolina and carom seeds. Mix well.
• Add the two tablespoons of ghee and yogurt and mix again with a big spoon or your hands.
• Knead the wheatflour mix by adding water little by little until a stiff dough forms.
• Break off lemon-sized balls and shape into discs with the help of a rolling pin on a clean surface. Use a few drops of oil to grease the balls as you're rolling them out.
• Cover the discs with a damp cloth.
• Heat the 3 cups of oil in a deep karahi or wok until it is very hot, but not so hot that it gives off fumes.
• Slide a single disc into the oil. It will rise up in a couple of seconds. Press down on it until it puffs up, then turn it over. Fry for a few seconds more and remove onto absorbent paper. Repeat with all the other discs. The pooris are now ready to be served with your favorite curry or halwa.

PANI PURI

Steps:

• For the green mango water: Combine the green mango, chilies, cilantro, mint, lime juice and 1/2 cup water in a food processor. Blend until smooth. Pour into a large bowl and add the cumin, black salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt and 3 cups water. Whisk to combine. Add sugar to taste (this will depend on the sweetness of the green mango).
• For the potato filling: Put the soaked black chickpeas in a small saucepan and fill the pan halfway with cold water. Stir in a pinch of baking soda and 1 teaspoon sea salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat then reduce the heat to maintain a strong simmer and cook until the chickpeas are tender, about 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, put the potatoes into a small pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to maintain a strong simmer. Cook until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 20 minutes.
• Drain the chickpeas and potatoes and allow to cool slightly. The cooked chickpeas should yield about 1/4 cup. Peel the potatoes then mash with a potato masher until coarsely mashed. Add the chickpeas, cilantro, cumin, black salt, chili powder, lime juice and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and stir to combine. Taste and adjust salt.
• For assembly: Put a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 225 degrees F. Put the pani puri shells on a baking sheet and bake until crispy (you don't want the shells to brown at all), 3 to 5 minutes.
• To eat: One at a time, crack a small hole on top of the thinner side of a pani puri shell then add 1 teaspoon of the potato mixture and 1 1/2 tablespoons of the green mango water. Pop the whole pani puri in your mouth in one shot. Eat the assembled pani puris as you make them since they will become soggy if they sit at all.

POORI RECIPE, HOW TO MAKE PURI

Steps:

• Mix together flour, salt, rava and oil in a large mixing bowl.
• Pour ¼ cup water. Begin to make a little stiff & tight dough, adding more water as needed. (check video)
• Smear ½ tsp oil, knead lightly and smoothen the ball.
• Do not knead it a lot otherwise poori will turn soft and absorb oil while frying.
• Keep the dough covered all the time until the last poori is rolled. Do not rest the dough for more than 3 to 5 minutes. The longer it rests quicker the puffed puri will collapse. They will turn oily after frying.
• Divide the dough to 8 to 10 portions. Avoid kneading them.
• Smoothen all the balls by rolling them lightly in between your palms. Keep them covered in the bowl.
• Drizzle a few drops of oil on the rolling area and spread it.
• Smear oil over the dough ball & flatten it.
• Begin to roll it evenly from the center to a round puri.
• It should not be too thick or thin. It must be moderately thick which helps the puri to puff.
• Make 5 to 6 puris and set them aside. Do not stack them.
• Begin to heat the oil on a medium high flame and continue to make rest of the pooris.
• The oil has to be hot enough. Check by dropping a small portion of dough to the pan. It has to rise immediately without browning.
• If it browns quickly then reduce the flame slightly and allow the temperature to come down.
• Slide the puri carefully to the hot oil. Do not disturb until it rises half way to the surface.
• Quickly but gently begin to press down with a perforated ladle. This helps the poori to puff well.
• Once puri puffs, flip it carefully. Fry on the other side as well until golden and crisp.
• You can fry flipping too and fro once more until slightly crisp & to get the desired color - light golden to dark golden.
• Remove the puri to a steel colander. Fry the next poori the same way.
• Make sure the oil is hot enough, but not smoking before frying the next puri. Serve poori with potato curry, chutney or kurma.

PANI PURIS

Steps:

• Make the pani water. Place the coriander, mint, ginger, green chillies and tamarind pulp in a blender and blitz into a paste. Place in a water jug and add the chilled water and remaining ingredients. Mix well and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
• Begin making the puris. Combine the chakki atta, fine semolina, a little sea salt to season and 1 tbsp of the vegetable oil in a large bowl. Mix well and then gradually add 80-85ml of luke-warm water to create a stiff dough. Cover with a clean damp tea towel and allow to rest for 30 mins.
• For the filling, place the chickpeas and potatoes in separate large pans. Cover both with water and add 1/4 tsp asafoetida to the chickpea pan. Bring both to the boil. Cook the potatoes until softened and then drain. Once the chickpea pan is boiling, bring down to a simmer and cook for a further 10 mins. Drain both together and leave to cool.
• Once the dough has rested, grease your fingers with oil and knead the dough for at least 5 mins. Return the dough to the bowl, cover again and rest for a further 30 mins.
• Once rested, knead again with a little oil for a further 5 mins. You should now have a very smooth dough. Cover and allow to rest for a further 30 mins.
• Once the chickpeas and potatoes have cooled, place them in a large bowl with the other filling ingredients, season and mix well.
• Divide the dough into 3 and roll out 1/3 to 50p thickness and use a cookie cutter to cut disks 6cm in diameter. Cover the disks with a damp tea towel. Repeat with the other 2/3rds of the dough. Rest the disks for another 30 mins. Heat your oil to 180C (if you don't have a thermometer, simply take a tiny piece of bread and if it turns golden brown in seconds, your oil is ready). Carefully place the puris into the oil and when they begin to rise up to the surface, gently hold a ladle down on top of them. This helps the puris to puff up. When the puris are golden brown, remove with a slotted spoon and drain on absorbent kitchen paper.
• To eat, take a crisp puri, create a small hole in the centre. Fill the puri with a little of the chickpea and potato filling. Then pour in the chilled pani and finally add a little sev and a few fresh pomegranate seeds. Eat the puri in one go.