Poori and Aloo masala/Deep fried Indian flat bread with spicy potato curry

When I was a child, if you asked me whether I wanted chapathi or poori, I will say in a blink “poori”, as it has a great taste, and taste was the biggest priority at that time. Now I would say “chapathi”. When you are young you don’t care about calories, carbohydrates, cholesterol etc. These are haunting only when you are grown up. As a child, poori was a favorite dish whenever I went to a restaurant.

Poori is usually made with whole wheat flour (atta) salt and water, sometimes semolina is added. The first part involves making dough, and then a small portion of dough is flattened to form a small disc, which is then fried in hot oil. It has two cousins; first one is called Bhature, which is famous in Punjab and the neighboring Pakistan; where they make it with All purpose flour, yeast, ghee, salt and yogurt. In west Bengal and Orissa, they make Luchi, from the dough of all purpose flour, salt and water. Earlier I made Kashmiri poori which is more close to Bhature as it contains yeast in there. 

One of my blogger friends Mely of Mexico in my kitchen, who is interested in Indian cooking, asked me to post some of basic Indian bread recipes which she is familiar with, so I am posting this dish for her too. 

To go with the poori, usually the best combo is potato masala, which is an easy recipe from mom. I can proudly say that this is a recipe I learnt from one of my international calls to her. One day I asked her how you make potato masala which I love, she told me to cook potato with onion with turmeric, salt and water. When potato is well cooked, add a teaspoon of sambhar powder. Then season with mustard seeds, red chili, curry leaves and a pinch of asafetodia. These are the out of the world masala recipe to me. Whenever I have served this dish, everybody has really enjoyed. She also told me add little bit of whole wheat flour if the curry is runny, or if you want a taste change add some coconut milk or coconut powder. I love them in all forms. This is one of the recipes close to my heart as it got from mom in her own voice; I have only a few in the list, as she never let me cook anything.

Once she was sick dad took charge of cooking and from him I got some of her recipes. So I can’t boast I am cook from the day I was born or from a very early age. I didn’t learn anything until I left India. Now I think of her, why she didn’t let me anything to cook, maybe she was afraid of getting accidents in kitchen. 

Try this poori and potato masala; you don’t know how many you finished in one sitting. Here goes the recipe. 

One year ago:  Braided rye bread
Print recipe from here
What you need
For poori

 Whole wheat flour: 2 cup
Salt: ¾ teaspoon( Increase if you want more saltness)
Water: ¾ cup + 3 tablespoon
Olive oil: ½ teaspoon
Semolina: 1 tablespoon (optional, it gives crispiness and it helps poori to hold the shape)
Canola oil for frying: 4 cups









For potato masala

Potatoes: 3 nos( about 1 ½ cup when they chopped into cubes)
Onion: 1 ( about 1 ½ cup when they are chopped into cubes)
Salt: ½ teaspoon or to taste
Turmeric powder: 1/ 4 teaspoon
Sambhar powder; ½ teaspoon + 1/8 teaspoon
Olive oil: ½ teaspoon
Mustard seeds; ¼ teaspoon
Red chili: 2 no( halved into pieces)
Curry leaves: 2 sprig
Asafetodia: 1/8 teaspoon
Water: 2 ½ cup



How I made

Poori

In a bowl of kitchen aid stand mixer add whole wheat flour, semolina and salt. Mix everything to get combined well. To this gradually add water to form soft not sticky dough. Add olive oil to the pan and roll the dough ball to gets coated and set aside. 

In the mean time, heat canola oil in a deep bottomed pan. 

Divide the dough into 19 small pieces similar to that of key lime. In the board, place one piece of dough and spread into ¼ inch thick circle (about a size of pancake) with a roller, you don’t need to dust the board. It won’t stick to the board. 

When the oil become hot around 370F or adds a small piece of dough to check whether it is correct temperature. If the dough cooks and comes back to top immediately then it is ready.

Gradually slide the disc of dough and cooks for 30 seconds on each side or until they starts to have brown spots and puffed up well. Remove from the oil using a slotted spoon and drain excess oil in kitchen towel. Repeat the process until you finish entire dough. 

Enjoy with potato masala.

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Yield: 19 no
Verdict: YUMM
Will you make it again: Yes I will

Mom’s potato masala

In a medium sauce pot add chopped onion and potato, turmeric, salt and water cook for about 20 minutes or until potatoes are done. To this add sambhar powder and brings to boil. 

In a small pan heat oil and add mustard seeds, halved red chilies, curry leaves and asafetodia, when mustard seeds starts spluttering remove from the fire. Add this to cooked potato masala and switch off the flame. 

Enjoy with warm poori or chapathi or any other bread.

Preparation time: 25minutes
Yield: 4 serving
Verdict: Yummy
Will you make it again: Yes I will.