Puri Bhaji Recipe

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Boys writing recipeThe summer holidays are upon us! The son had a friend over to spend the day – and both of them asked me to make Puri Bhaji (yes, the friend is discerning). I agreed on the condition that they note down the steps as I make the dish. So here’s the recipe.

Puri Bhaji

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Puri Bhaji
Serves 4
Prep time 10 minutes
Cook time 1 hour
Total time 1 hour, 10 minutes
This delicous dish consists of puri - deep-fried Indian bread and Bhaji - a dry vegetable dish made of spiced potatoes.

Ingredients

  • Salt to taste

Puri

  • 250g Wheat flour (This is known as Chappati Atta in Indian shops)
  • 2 Tbs. Sunflower oil
  • 6 Tbs Sunflower oil (This is for frying)

Bhaji

  • 5 medium-sized Potatoes
  • 3 Tsp. Mustard seeds
  • 2 Tsp. Ground turmeric

Bhaji (Optional)

  • 1 pinch Asafoetida (This is also known as )
  • 2 Curry leaves

Note

I normally make puris only when I have time on my hands or if the son has done brilliantly at school or in sport (yes, this is his favourite dish). The Bhaji can be made at anytime - it's frightfully easy to make especially as I have no problems boiling the potatoes in the microwave. My mother does - so she cooks the potatoes on the fire after putting in the mustard seeds. This after Step 2 of the Bhaji recipe. Either way - the Bhaji is delicious.

Directions

PURIS
Step 1
Pour 3 tbs of sunflower oil into the wheat flour. Mix with water and knead into a dough
Step 2
Make small (about 3 inches wide) balls out of the dough
Step 3
Roll out the small balls into circular thin shapes (Puris) with a rolling pin (add a bit of oil to the rolling surface to ensure that the dough does not stick to it)
Step 4
Heat up 6 tbs of oil in a wok until the oil becomes very hot
Step 5
Gently immerse one Puri into the oil and make sure that its surface is covered with the hot oil
Step 6
Deep fry on both the sides until the puri is brown and fluffs up (Tip: the puri will only rise when the oil is very hot)
Step 7
Fry all other puris in a similar fashion
BHAJI
Step 8
Cut the potatoes into small squares and put them in a microwaveable dish
Step 9
Heat the oil in a saucepan and put in the mustard seeds.
Step 10
When they pop, put in the curry leaves and the asafoetida. This step is optional - both the items do add a great taste to the bhaji, so if you get your hands on them, do use them!
Step 11
Add this mixture to the potatoes in the microwaveable dish
Step 12
Put in the turmeric, salt and about 2 tbs. of water and mix thoroughly
Step 13
Put the dish in the microwave, cover and cook on high for 4 minutes
Step 14
Get the dish out, stir the potatoes and cook on high for another 4 minutes
Step 15
Repeat until potatoes are completely cooked