Masala Poori – Spicy Poori

Poori is an Indian bread that is deep fried in oil. Masala Poori is a slight variation to it. This is made by adding few spice powders to whole wheat flour and then deep fried. It goes well with any gravy, sabji or just with any pickle too. It is ideal for breakfast/dinner. Usually when I make this Masala Poori we have it as is or with any pickle. This time I served it with Aloo Mattar Gravy.

Let’s get cooking…

[Preparation Time-10 mins : Cooking Time- 20 mins]

Ingredients:

• Wheat Flour – 2 cups
• Chilli powder – 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder – a pinch
• Roasted Cumin powder – 1/2 tsp
• Salt – as needed
• Ajwain/Carom Seeds – 1 tsp
• Water – as needed
• Oil – to deep fry

Method:

• Take a wide bowl and add wheat flour, salt, chilli powder, turmeric powder, roasted cumin powder and ajwain. Mix well so that the spices blend well with the flour. Add water little by little and knead it into a firm dough. Now the dough is ready. Divide it into small/medium lemon sized balls, cover it and keep it ready.

• Heat a pan with oil enough to deep fry. Let it be in simmer while u flatten the pooris. Take a small sized ball and slightly dip it in oil. Roll it into a small sized poori. Slide this into the hot oil carefully.

• Slightly press it in the oil with a slotted spoon, It will start puffing up. Flip it over when the oil stops sizzling. Fry the other side similarly until golden in colour. Remove it from the oil and drain it in paper towels to remove excess oil.

Masala Poori / Spicy Poori is ready.

Serve hot with any sabji/gravy of your choice.

Tips:

1. While kneading the dough, do not add too much water. We need a firm dough to make masala poori or poori. And also if the dough is not firm it will absorb more oil while deep frying.
2. I normally dont use flour to roll the masala poori as it will brown and spoil the oil. I just dip it carefully in the same hot oil that is ready for frying. U can keep a small bowl or plate with a tbsp of oil to dip it if u are a beginner.
3. Other variations to the spices – skip ajwain & cumin powder and add cumin seeds. U can also add coriander powder, pepper powder.. If using pepper powder adjust/skip chilli powder accordingly.
4. To make roasted cumin powder – dry roast cumin seeds and grind it into a coarse powder.
5. With the above amount of flour/dough, it will yield around 12-15 masala pooris.