Punjab Bhatura (Deep Fried Indian Leavened Bread) 1
Bhatura 1
Bhaturae are the leavened, deep fried breads of Punjab, usually made with plain white flour or maida, though some people will make them with 50% chapatti flour and 50% white flour mix.
They have to be served with Pindi Chole, a spicy chickpea curry of Punjab to get the authentic flavours and taste. Chole-bhaturae is combination like a marriage made in heaven, you can't change it!
Bhaturae must be served piping hot, straight off the frying pan. When making Bhaturae, it helps if you have two people for the final stage of making these, one rolling out and one frying.
The dough should be made 10 hours before making. Adding yeast instead is also common, but makes them too fluffy, like bread.
Makes 10-12
Edited 18.10.2022
Ingredients
- 500 gm plain white flour or maida
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 cup natural, rather mature yoghurt
- Luke warm water, according to requirement during kneading. The dough should be a little firmer than the Chapatti dough, more like Poori dough
- 2-3 tbsp. oil to add to the dough
- 2-3 tbsp. oil in a small bowl, to help roll out the bhaturas
- Oil to deep fry, about 1 litre
Instructions
- Place flour, sugar, salt, baking powder in a bowl.
- Add yoghurt and then water, a little at a time, kneading as you go, until you get a firm...ish dough. Knead until it is smooth. Cover and keep in a warm place for 24 hours, sometimes even more (in colder weather), until it doubles in size.
- Make balls just like you do for chapatties. Keep them covered under a moist cloth.
- Start heating the oil in a wok or karahi.
- Now dip one ball at a time in oil and roll out into a 17-18 cm.or 6 or 7 inch circle, about 2-3mm thick. Thinner the better. You may need to dip it in oil a couple of times during rolling out, to stop it from sticking.
- Test oil; it is hot enough when a tiny piece of dough dropped in it sizzles and floats to the top quickly. It should not be smoking hot.
- Slide one Bhatura into the oil gently. After 5-8 seconds, gently turn it over.
- Now coax it to balloon up into a ball by gently pressing all over with a spatula/ skimmer. Fry until light golden on both sides, turning it over a couple of times. It should not be too dark, just golden. Serve hot with Chickpea Curry (Cholae) 1, In A Spicy Curry Sauce (Pindi Cholae) , Chickpea Curry (Cholae) 2, Pindi Cholae in a Spicy Masala Sauce or Marrowfat Peas Chaat (Spicy Indian Street Food).