In appearance, poori looks very much like phulka, the puffy bread baked
over flame, except that poori has a beautiful sheen and is flakier
because it is deep-fried and then cooked. Its ravishing appearance is
matched only by its exquisite flavor. This is why poori is generally
served at parties, special dinners, wedding banquets, and most festive
occasions.
A word of caution: If you are planning to serve poori in a puffed-up
state, you have to be sure to plan your menu carefully so that no other
dish requires last-minute preparation, because poori will take about
twenty to thirty minutes to roll and fry. Once fried, it must be served
immediately.
1 cup chapati flour plus 1/2 cup all-purpose flour; or 3/4 cup whole
wheat flour plus 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (all measured by scooping
flour with measuring cups and leveling off with a spatula or knife)
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
2 tablespoons, plus 1 teaspoon light vegetable oil
1/2 cup warm water (90 -100 F)
1/2 cup flour for dusting
Peanut or corn oil enough to fill a fryer to a depth of 3 inches
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.
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.
Makes 16 five-inch poori. For 6-8 persons.
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