Poori Bhaji is one of my favorite dishes to make in the quickest way possible. I make this dish by taking boiled potatoes, tomatoes, green chilies and some whole spices. The best part about this dish is the slightly creamy and tangy gravy. The final touch to this recipe is adding ghee and hing to make a tasty tadka. I love serving this with freshly fried pooris while still hot.
Why Love This Recipe
- Poori bhaji is one of the most widely consumed dishes all over India.
- Poori bhaji tastes slightly spicy, creamy, earthy, tangy and savory.
- Just as the name of the dish implies, it is served along with hot pooris.
- It takes me about 40 minutes in total to make this dish at home, which includes 20 minutes of preparation and 20 minutes of cooking.
- Other alternative recipes that offer somewhat similar taste like poori bhaji are chole bhatura, kachori with soyabean and potato curry, Luchi Ghugni, and paratha with vegetable korma.
The Ingredients:
To boil potatoes:
- Potatoes – 600 gm (uncut, with skin)
- Salt – 1 tsp
- Water – 1 bowl (about 250 ml)
Whole spices:
- Green cardamom – 2 pieces (whole pods)
- Black peppercorns – 8 pieces
- Cinnamon – 1 piece (1 inch stick)
- Cloves – 2 pieces
- Black cardamom – 1 piece (whole pod)
- Bay leaf – 1 piece (large, torn in half)
- Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
- Coriander seeds – 1 tsp (crushed)
To cook the bhaji:
- Tomatoes – 3 pieces (finely chopped)
- Green chilies – 4 pieces (slit longitudinally from the middle)
- Refined oil – 1 tbsp
- Ginger – 1 tsp (finely chopped or grated)
- Salt – 1 tsp
- Kashmiri red chili powder – 1 tsp
- Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
- Cumin powder – ½ tsp
- Coriander powder – 1 tsp
- Garam masala powder – ½ tsp
- Kasoori methi – ¼ tsp
- Water – 4 cups (preferably warm water)
- Coriander leaves – 1 tbsp (finely chopped)
To make the tadka:
- Ghee (clarified butter) – 1 tsp
- Asafetida (heeng) – 1 pinch
- Kashmiri red chili powder – 1 tsp
To make the pooris:
- Wheat flour (atta) – 500 grams
- Rawa (semolina or sooji) – 2 tbsp
- Salt – ½ tsp
- Sugar – ½ tsp
- Carom seeds (Ajwain) – 1 tsp
- Refined oil – 700 ml (for frying)
- Water – 4 tbsp (lukewarm, to soak the semolina)
- Water – 1 cup (lukewarm, to knead the dough)
How to Make Poori Bhaji? (Step by Step Guide with Photos)
Step 1: Take 600 gm of potatoes (uncut, with skin), wash them nicely and put them in a pressure cooker. Then, add a bowl or about 250 ml of water to it.
(Pro tip: I needed 250 ml of water. You may adjust the water to ensure the potatoes are not fully submerged in it.)
Step 2: Now add 1 tsp of salt to it. Put the lid on and cook on a high flame for up to one whistle. Then reduce the flame to medium and let it cook further for about 10 minutes.
(Pro tip: Adding salt while boiling prevents the potatoes from tasting bland).
Step 3: While the potatoes are cooking, take 3 pieces of tomatoes and chop them finely. Also take 4 pieces of green chilies and slit them longitudinally from the middle.
Step 4: Take 2 pieces of green cardamom (whole pods), 8 pieces of black peppercorns, a piece of cinnamon (1 inch stick), 2 pieces of cloves, a piece of black cardamom (whole pod), one large bay leaf (torn in half), 1 tsp of cumin seeds and 1 tsp of crushed coriander seeds on a plate.
Step 5: Heat 1 tbsp of refined oil in a kadai or wok on a medium flame. When it is hot, put all the whole spices. Stir continuously and let them fry for about 5 seconds or so until they stop crackling. Now, add 1 tsp of finely chopped or grated ginger and let it cook for about half a minute until the raw smell is gone.
(Pro tip: Stir the ginger continuously while it cooks because raw ginger tends to stick to the bottom of the kadai and burn fast. This will render a bitter taste to the poori bhaji).
Step 6: Add the slit green chilies, finely chopped tomatoes, and 1 tsp of salt to it. Mix nicely and let them cook until the tomatoes become soft.
(Pro tip: Adding salt along with tomatoes helps them soften nicely and cook faster).
Step 7: When they become soft, cover the kadai and let it cook for about 4 to 5 minutes on a medium flame.
Step 8: Now, add 1 tsp of Kashmiri red chili powder, ½ tsp of turmeric powder, ½ tsp of cumin powder, 1 tsp of coriander powder, ½ tsp of garam masala powder and ¼ tsp of Kasoori methi to it. Mix them nicely. Stir and cook on a low to medium flame until the oil starts to separate from the sides.
Step 9: By this time, the potatoes will be boiled perfectly. Check the doneness with a knife. Remove them from the pressure cooker to a bowl. Let them cool down a bit. Peel the skin.
Step 10: Mash them roughly with the back of a stainless-steel glass or vegetable masher. You can also mash them with your hand if they are sufficiently cool. Add the mashed potatoes to the masala in the kadai. Mix nicely.
Step 11: Pour 4 cups of water and mix nicely. Cover and cook on a high flame for about 2 to 3 minutes. When the water reduces to half, add 1 tbsp of finely chopped fresh coriander leaves to it. At this stage, taste it and add salt if necessary. Mix everything nicely. Let it cook for a minute.
Step 12: By that time, to make the tadka, heat 1 tsp of ghee (clarified butter) in a separate pan on a low to medium flame. When it melts completely, add a pinch of asafetida to it and cook for 5 seconds. Remove the pan and while the ghee is still hot, mix 1 tsp of Kashmiri red chili powder with it.
Step 13: Pour it and mix it nicely with the bhaji in the kadai. Transfer the bhaji to a serving bowl.
Step 14: Now, take 2 tbsp of rawa (semolina or sooji) in a small bowl and pour 4 tbsp of lukewarm water into it to soak. Keep it aside for about 2 to 4 minutes or until it swells up.
Step 15: While the semolina swells up, take 500 grams of wheat flour (atta) in a big bowl and mix ½ tsp of salt, ½ tsp of sugar and 1 tsp of carom seeds (Ajwain) with it very nicely. Do not add water at this stage. Then, add the soaked semolina and a cup of lukewarm water.
Step 16: Knead the dough nicely. The dough should not be very soft or very hard. Add more water gradually, if needed. Now, grease 1 tbsp of refined oil on it, cover it and let it rest for about 20 minutes.
(Pro tip: I add a little bit of sugar to the dough because it gives a nice color to my pooris. Also, I add ajwain because it promotes digestion).
Step 17: After 20 minutes, grease your hands with a bit of refined oil and make small balls of the dough. Press them with your hand and roll them with a rolling pin, one by one, to make the pooris.
Step 18: Heat 700 ml of refined oil in a kadai on a high flame and then reduce the flame to medium when hot. Put the poori in the hot oil one by one and fry them nicely on both sides, flipping when they swell up. Remove them when done.
Step 19: Your tasty and spicy homemade poori bhaji is ready.
Make It Different Every Time
- Sometimes I add a few boiled peas to the potato mix for a more enriched taste of the bhaji.
- To give the bhaji extra tanginess and sharpness, I have also tried adding some dry mango powder whilst cooking the tomato masala.
- A few fried curry leaves added along with the whole spices give my bhaji a slightly different fragrance.
- If you want a more unique taste with a pungent flavor, use mustard oil instead of refined oil. Make sure the oil is hot enough before adding the spices.
- I sometimes fry the pooris in pure desi ghee instead of refined oil. It enhances the flavor and taste of the pooris significantly.
Poori Bhaji Recipe Smart Solutions
Q: Why does my bhaji have a very strong spice flavor?
A: Stick to the proportions mentioned strictly and fry them for a short period of time in step 5.
Q: My boiled potatoes are still a bit firm. Why?
A: When you test them with a knife in step 9, make sure to insert the knife till the middle of the potatoes. If they are still firm in the middle, cook for a little longer before peeling and mashing.
Q: Why is my red chili tadka bitter?
A: You must have added the Kashmiri chili powder in step 12 before removing it from the flame. The ghee was too hot to burn the powdered spice.
Q: My pooris are not soft and fluffy. What is wrong?
A: Try resting the dough for longer next time. Also, make sure that the temperature of the oil does not drop while frying.
Recipe Card
Poori Bhaji
Ingredients
To boil potatoes:
- 600 gm Potatoes uncut, with skin
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 bowl Water about 250 ml
Whole spices:
- 2 pieces Green cardamom whole pods
- 8 pieces Black peppercorns
- 1 piece Cinnamon 1 inch stick
- 2 pieces Cloves
- 1 piece Black cardamom whole pod
- 1 piece Bay leaf large, torn in half
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- 1 tsp Coriander seeds crushed
To cook the bhaji:
- 3 pieces Tomatoes finely chopped
- 4 pieces Green chilies slit longitudinally from the middle
- 1 tbsp Refined oil
- 1 tsp Ginger finely chopped or grated
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp Cumin powder
- 1 tsp Coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp Garam masala powder
- 1/4 tsp Kasoori methi
- 4 cups Water preferably warm water
- 1 tbsp Coriander leaves finely chopped
To make the tadka:
- 1 tsp Ghee clarified butter
- 1 pinch Asafetida heeng
- 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder – 1 tsp
To make the pooris:
- 500 grams Wheat flour atta
- 2 tbsp Rawa semolina or sooji
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Sugar
- 1 tsp Carom seeds Ajwain
- 700 ml Refined oil for frying
- 4 tbsp Water lukewarm, to soak the semolina
- 1 cup Water lukewarm, to knead the dough
Instructions
- Take 600 gm of potatoes (uncut, with skin), wash them nicely and put them in a pressure cooker. Then, add a bowl or about 250 ml of water to it. (Pro tip: I needed 250 ml of water. You may adjust the water to ensure the potatoes are not fully submerged in it.)
- Now add 1 tsp of salt to it. Put the lid on and cook on a high flame for up to one whistle. Then reduce the flame to medium and let it cook further for about 10 minutes. (Pro tip: Adding salt while boiling prevents the potatoes from tasting bland).
- While the potatoes are cooking, take 3 pieces of tomatoes and chop them finely. Also take 4 pieces of green chilies and slit them longitudinally from the middle.
- Take 2 pieces of green cardamom (whole pods), 8 pieces of black peppercorns, a piece of cinnamon (1 inch stick), 2 pieces of cloves, a piece of black cardamom (whole pod), one large bay leaf (torn in half), 1 tsp of cumin seeds and 1 tsp of crushed coriander seeds on a plate.
- Heat 1 tbsp of refined oil in a kadai or wok on a medium flame. When it is hot, put all the whole spices. Stir continuously and let them fry for about 5 seconds or so until they stop crackling. Now, add 1 tsp of finely chopped or grated ginger and let it cook for about half a minute until the raw smell is gone. (Pro tip: Stir the ginger continuously while it cooks because raw ginger tends to stick to the bottom of the kadai and burn fast. This will render a bitter taste to the poori bhaji).
- Add the slit green chilies, finely chopped tomatoes, and 1 tsp of salt to it. Mix nicely and let them cook until the tomatoes become soft. (Pro tip: Adding salt along with tomatoes helps them soften nicely and cook faster).
- When they become soft, cover the kadai and let it cook for about 4 to 5 minutes on a medium flame.
- Now, add 1 tsp of Kashmiri red chili powder, ½ tsp of turmeric powder, ½ tsp of cumin powder, 1 tsp of coriander powder, ½ tsp of garam masala powder and ¼ tsp of Kasoori methi to it. Mix them nicely. Stir and cook on a low to medium flame until the oil starts to separate from the sides.
- By this time, the potatoes will be boiled perfectly. Check the doneness with a knife. Remove them from the pressure cooker to a bowl. Let them cool down a bit. Peel the skin.
- Mash them roughly with the back of a stainless-steel glass or vegetable masher. You can also mash them with your hand if they are sufficiently cool. Add the mashed potatoes to the masala in the kadai. Mix nicely.
- Pour 4 cups of water and mix nicely. Cover and cook on a high flame for about 2 to 3 minutes. When the water reduces to half, add 1 tbsp of finely chopped fresh coriander leaves to it. At this stage, taste it and add salt if necessary. Mix everything nicely. Let it cook for a minute.
- By that time, to make the tadka, heat 1 tsp of ghee (clarified butter) in a separate pan on a low to medium flame. When it melts completely, add a pinch of asafetida to it and cook for 5 seconds. Remove the pan and while the ghee is still hot, mix 1 tsp of Kashmiri red chili powder with it.
- Pour it and mix it nicely with the bhaji in the kadai. Transfer the bhaji to a serving bowl.
- Now, take 2 tbsp of rawa (semolina or sooji) in a small bowl and pour 4 tbsp of lukewarm water into it to soak. Keep it aside for about 2 to 4 minutes or until it swells up.
- While the semolina swells up, take 500 grams of wheat flour (atta) in a big bowl and mix ½ tsp of salt, ½ tsp of sugar and 1 tsp of carom seeds (Ajwain) with it very nicely. Do not add water at this stage. Then, add the soaked semolina and a cup of lukewarm water.
- Knead the dough nicely. The dough should not be very soft or very hard. Add more water gradually, if needed. Now, grease 1 tbsp of refined oil on it, cover it and let it rest for about 20 minutes. (Pro tip: I add a little bit of sugar to the dough because it gives a nice color to my pooris. Also, I add ajwain because it promotes digestion).
- After 20 minutes, grease your hands with a bit of refined oil and make small balls of the dough. Press them with your hand and roll them with a rolling pin, one by one, to make the pooris.
- Heat 700 ml of refined oil in a kadai on a high flame and then reduce the flame to medium when hot. Put the poori in the hot oil one by one and fry them nicely on both sides, flipping when they swell up. Remove them when done.
- Your tasty and spicy homemade poori bhaji is ready.
