Here lies the recipe for one of the best snacks you’ll ever have…today QUIZINE IN QUARANTINE brings you the one and only DHAL PURI!
This is a deep-fried flat bread stuffed with dried lentils and boy is it to die for. It can be enjoyed for breakfast, as a snack or even as a light meal. This dish originated in the subcontinent but has spread with immigration to become popular in other parts of the world like Mauritius and the Caribbean. In Mauritius and the Caribbean, the Dhal Puri takes more of the form of a roti to be enjoyed perhaps with some curry on the side, in the sub continent, it’s a little smaller in size and thicker.
This recipe will show you how it’s done the south asian way and served up Quizine style!
INGREDIENTS (For approx 20 pieces)
Lentil filling:
250g red lentils
1 chopped onion
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 whole dried chillies (or any chilli if you like, you don’t have to use if you don’t like chilli)
1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
2 tbsp (approx) cooking oil
500ml (approx) water
Puri (flatbread) dough:
500g plain flour
1tsp salt
1tsp fennel seeds (can add cumin seed or nigella seed or nothing if you wish)
4tbsp cooking oil
200ml (approx) water
1. Wash, drain and prepare your lentils to begin with.
2. Throw oil into a hot pan and add chopped onions, allow them to brown for 2 mins.
3. Now add in lentils, dried chillies, chopped coriander leaf, salt, turmeric, coriander powder and chilli powder
4. Mix ingredients around in pan and then add 500ml of water.
5. Cover with lid and leave to cook for approx 15mins, making sure to check in and stir when necessary.
6. Once the lentils are cooked, allow to rest and then put in microwave for approx 5 minutes to ensure mixture is properly dried out.
TIP: the drier the better as this will help the puri rise and get that fluffy texture.
7. Now we move onto making the puri bread. Pour flour, salt, fennel seeds and oil into a bowl and mix.
8. Add water slowly whilst mixing and knead for approx 5 mins until mixture forms into a dough. Bear in mind that the amount of water needed may vary depending on the consistency of the flour, 200ml is a rough guide. Rub dough with some oil, cover and leave to rest for at least 30 mins.
9. Now tear off bits of dough into small balls and fill centre of puri with dried dhal mix.
10. Seal the puri well and spread some flour onto surface. Roll out your filled puri balls into a flat circular shape.
11. Now fry in oil and watch them transform into a a beautiful crispy brown snack. You should fry each piece for approx 2-3 mins. Make sure oil covers all angles of the puri to get the perfect fluffy texture.
12. You can enjoy these as a snack at tea time, or maybe for breakfast with some curry on the side, but if you want to try them Quizine style, cut them in half, fill with some salad and smother in sauce of your choice! This is unbeatable!
Watch us put this together in the video below!