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Poori
Puffed
deep fried whole wheat bread
Breads
play an important role in the Indian menu for they serve not
only as an accompaniment but since Indians eat with their
fingers, they are also used as an implement, (instead of a fork
or a spoon) to scoop up the vegetables and rich curries from the
plate.
Indian
bread is nothing more than flour, water, salt and sometimes oil
or ghee kneaded in. Breads are either shallow fried on a tava
/griddle, deep fried in oil or baked in a tandoor or oven.
Indian breads are mostly unleavened. Most of the Indian breads
are made with wheat flour but there are others which are made
out of rice flour, corn flour, refined flour, millet flour
(bajra), milo flour (jowar) and sometimes even lentil flour (daal).
The lentil flours are added to make the bread richer in flavor
and protein.
Pooris can be made sweet or savory. The plain poori
can be eaten as an accompaniment with any curry.
- 4 cups
Wheat flour
- 1 cup
Water (approximately)
- 1 teaspoon
Salt
- ½ cup of
Oil
- Oil for
frying
- Oil for
rolling
- Mix
the salt into the flour.
Warm
the 1/2 cup of oil, when medium warm pour it into the flour and
work it in. Add the water into the flour and oil mixture and
make a stiff dough. Divide the dough into balls approximately
1" in diameter.
Flatten
each ball and using oil for rolling, roll into discs
approximately 4" in diameter. Heat the oil in a deep wok
like pot,
wait until it is hot.
To
test the oil, drop a small piece of dough, if it is hot it will
float up immediately bubbling as it comes up to the surface.
Frying
the Poori
Now
slowly slide the poori from the side of the pot into the hot
oil. Deep-fry the poori until golden brown. When it puffs up,
turn it once on the other side. Fry for a minute and remove.
Serve hot as they are made. Poories can be eaten with sweet as
well as savory dishes.
Eating
with your fingers!!!
In India, food etiquette demands that the meal is eaten
with the fingers of the right hand, which is an art itself.
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