The first book on baking plain and whole wheat pitas at home.
There are 100 dazzling recipes for fillings, toppings, and accompaniments to
transform unleavened bread into fabulous fare...
POORI
(makes 7-9)
1½
cup whole wheat flour
½
tsp salt
¾ cup warm water
2½
vegetable oil, plus extra for oiling
Sieve the
flour and place it in a large bowl, add salt, stir well.
Make a well in
the center and gradually pour in the water, mixing well
with your fingers to for a dough, adding more water if
necessary.
Turn the dough
out onto a floured counter and knead until it is smooth
and elastic. Let stand in a warm place for 15 minutes.
Divide the
dough into 7-9 equal-size portions and with
lightly oiled hands pat each into a smooth ball. On a
lightly oiled counter, roll out each ball to for a thin
circle.
Heat the
vegetable oil in a deep skillet. Deep-fry the circles in
batches for 5-8 minutes, turning once, until golden in
color. Remove the pooris from the skillet and drain.
Serve hot.
PURI
DAHIWALLAH (YOGHURT BREAD)
(makes 12-14)
1 - 1½
(6-8 oz) cup plain flour
2-3 tbsp yoghurt
½
tsp salt
oil for frying
Sift the flour
into a bowl, make a well in the middle, add the yoghurt
and salt and combine with as little warm water as
possible (about 3 tbsp) to make a dough that is soft but
not sticky.
Pull off a
small piece of dough and roll it into a ball on a
lightly floured pasty board, then roll and flatten into
a pancake. Repeat with the rest of the dough.
Heat about 1
in (2.5 cm) of oil in a pan, add the puri and fry for 2
min. each side, until speckled and puffy.
DAL PURI ROT
(DAL BREAD) (SERVES
6-8)
1 cup split
yellow peas
4-6 cloves
garlic, finely chopped
2 green chilies,
finely chopped
1 tsp ground
cumin
½
tsp turmeric
350 g (12 oz)
plain flour
50 g (2 oz)
butter
2 tbsp oil
½
tsp baking powder
salt to taste
Pick
over the split peas, wash well and cook in about 3½
cups water for 10-15 minutes, until the peas can
be squashed under the back of a wooden spoon. Drain
well.
Grind,
pound or blend in a liquidizer the peas, garlic and
green chilies. Mix the cumin, turmeric, with 1 tsp water
and blend into the puree, which should be dry rather
than sloppy.
Sift the
flour into a bowl, make a well in the middle and add the
butter, oil, baking powder and salt. Combine the
ingredients to make a dough, adding as little warm water
as possible, about 3 tbsp. The dough should be soft but
not sticky.
Pull off a
small piece of dough and roll it into a ball on a
lightly floured pastry board. Make a hollow in the ball
and stuff in a spoonful of a split pea mix. Stretch the
dough to cover the stuffing, then roll and flatten the
ball to make a small pancake. Repeat with the rest of
the dough.
Heat a
flat pan without any fat or oil. Cook the puri in the
hot pan for about 2 minutes each side, until speckled
and puffy.
