Fluffy Pooris

Pooris are deep fried in hot oil; they are crispy-soft puffed-up balloons of delicious fried Indian bread. They are easy to make, as long as you cook them in very hot oil! They are best eaten piping hot, so try and cook them just before you sit down to dinner.

Ingredients 

250g chappati flour or half plain/half wheat flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbs sunflower oil
100ml ice cold water
Oil for deep frying

Cooking Instructions 

1. Sieve the salt and flour into a mixing bowl
2. Dribble the oil on top and rub the mixture between your fingers to make up something that resembles breadcrumbs.
3. Slowly add enough water to make a stiff dough, you may need more or less
4. Place onto a floured worktop and knead for 10 minutes until it is smooth
5. Form into a large ball and place in a large lightly greased mixing bowl with enough room to expand, cover with cling film and leave for 30 minutes
6. When you’re ready to eat, knead the dough again, divide into 12 equal pieces and shape into small balls, flatten a ball into a round cake and roll into 13cm circles on a floured worktop. Roll out the rest of the poori and put them onto a floured surface, or greaseproof paper, cover with cling film or polythene sheet
7. Heat the oil for deep frying in a pan and gently place the poori into the hot oil, the poori should rise in seconds, gently press down on the poori to enable it to puff up, turn onto the other side, and fry for 10 seconds.
8. Drain to over the hot oil and take out placing the poori onto tray lined with kitchen paper and repeat until all the pooris are done, keeping each poori separate, cover with kitchen paper. More pooris can be spread on top of this layer.

Nanima's Tip 

When turning the poori over bring it first to the edge of pan, to help turn it over, this will avoid spashes.
To make spicy pooris, add ½ tsp of chili powder and ½ tsp turmeric powder, delicious with Bombay Potatoes