Daal Puri for MLLA- 51

Puran poli was a delicacy. It was prepared or ordered only for special occasions like, Ganpati / Diwali. If you  had told me that there is a savory puran poli, say 5-7 years ago, I'd have laughed in your face and reached out for one more soft, sweet puran poli.

If you would have hinted that I would make one, one day, I'd have snorted in disbelief and continued eating.

That was until blogging  opened up so many options for me.

I first came across this version when I read dear Cynthia's post. I knew I *had * to make it.  She also has this awesome slideshow which is perfect for those who are intimidated by the process.

The only Dal-puri I knew of was  this.I do not deep fry much, it is an addiction I try to steer clear of! 

And therefore, this 'paratha' version is  the solution. This, dear readers, is the savory puran poli! 

This dal-roti/puri was introduced in the Mauritius and Caribbean by Bihari immigrants and now is very popular. It is , I believe a popular street food option.

Dal-puri can be eaten as is or served with a vegetarian or non-vegetarian curry. I enjoy mine as is and warm! 

The real dal puri is thin. I have yet to master the thin version, the rest is under control. That maybe because my filling is not smooth enough and I do like to over stuff  my parathas. But I can tell you this much, they are soft and melt in your mouth quality. 

Adapted from: Here 

You need:

For the Filling: ( read notes for changes made)

2/3 cup Chana Daal ( dried yellow peas)

1/2 tsp ground Coriander powder

1/2 tsp Ground Cumin powder

1/8 tsp Cayenne powder or to taste

1 tsp Ground Turmeric

1 tsp Garam Masala

1/2 tsp Salt or to taste.

For the Dough:

1 2/3 cup All purpose flour

3/4 tsp Baking powder

1/2 tsp sugar

approx 2/3 cup lukewarm Water

2 tsp oil

To make the dough, sift the flour and baking powder in a mixing bowl, add the sugar, water and oil  and knead into a soft dough. Cover and set aside for anywhere between 30 mins to 3 hours.

Wash the peas in 3-4 changes of water ( until the water runs clear).

The author has a stove top cooking method detailed, however, I rarely if ever use that, I pressure cook my peas.

I bought one like this out of sheer desperation after my 'desi' cooker started giving me trouble. I haven't quite figured the perfect timings, but I guess I let the peas cook for about 15 mins.  you might argue that stove top method will take about the same time, maybe it will, but I like to let them cook unsupervised. 

The peas must be cooked but firm, this is very important

Once cooked, drain the peas in a colander and allow to cool. The drained water can be used in daal, curries or soup.

Place the cooled peas and spices in a food processor and pulse until very fine.

Stir in 2 t. oil and set aside.

To make dal puri, re-knead the dough for a minute or so before starting to roll.

Heat a skillet on medium high.

Take a small portion of the dough and roll into a disk.

Spoon the filling on to the disk and carefully pull up the sides and seal well to make a 'ball'. 

Dust with flour and applying gentle pressure, roll into a flat bread.

Gently but deftly lift and transfer the flat bread onto the hot skillet.

Drizzle a few drops of oil along the edges.

Cook the flat bread/ puri on both sides but take care not to brown the puri. 

Brown spots will make the daal puri hard. 

Serve warm, with or without a curry.

Notes:

- The spices mentioned above make a very mild stuffing. I use a bit more to suit my taste buds. 

- I use Badshah Rajwadi Garam Masala

- Some versions of daal -puri use garlic and fresh red chilies.

- Whole wheat flour can be substituted for all purpose flour, however, I have never tried it and cannot vouch for the success.

-If you have  food chopper / mixie- chutney attachment, use that instead of food processor, it makes the filling very fine and easier to roll. I have a large food processor (14 cup) and the filling is not so much!

- Do not cook till brown spots appear on the daal-puri, that makes it hard and not enjoyable. 

Sending this as my (late)  entry to MLLA-51, hosted by Jaya of DesisoccerMom fame and the event started by The well-Seasoned Cook.

On a different note, my image on  the Dal-puri post ( RCI-Bihar) has been copied and used here, of course without permission. Not that the picture s great, but it is my work. I wish people would stop doing this. I have complained, hope some action will be taken. 

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