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.
