Dal puris are made with a mildly spicy chana dal stuffing comprising ginger, green chilies, garlic and roasted cumin powder. These are then deep fried to perfection. The process to make dal puris at home is very easy and quick. Continue reading my recipe to learn them if you are unaware.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Dal puris are very popular in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and other eastern regions of India.
- Serve them hot as is or with dal tadka, vegetable curry, aloo dum, or sweet potato kheer for a traditional wholesome meal.
- Dal puris taste mildly spicy and crispy.
- Other similar recipes are kachori, stuffed paratha, bedmi poori, radhaballabhi, matar puri, and dal paratha.
The Ingredients:
For the stuffing:
- 1 cup chana dal
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
- 6 cups water
- 1 piece ginger (3-inch size, peeled, cut into small pieces)
- 12 cloves garlic (whole, peeled)
- 3 pieces green chilies (broken in half)
- 1.5 tsp cumin powder (roasted)
For making the dough:
- 2 cups wheat flour (atta)
- ½ tsp salt
- Water as required
For frying dal puris:
- Cooking oil – An adequate amount
I learned this recipe from the shop owner of a toy shop I visited to purchase a toy for my younger son in te afternoon. He was having lunch at that time and courteously asked me if I would like to some. He said his wife really makes this dish well. I loved the flavor and asked for the recipe. He handed me a tiny handwritten note from his drawer!
I tried it that Sunday. My husband found it delightful, and my sons said, “Let us buy toys more often now!” Now, it is our playful Sunday meal. That visit reminded me that behind every cheerful shop, there might be a quiet kitchen crafting flavors with love and routine.
How to Make Dal Puri? (Step by Step Guide with Images)
Step 1: Take a cup of chana dal in a bowl and put water in it. Wash it nicely with your hand for 2 to 3 times.
Step 2: Now, put it in a pressure cooker and add 6 cups of water to it. Also, add ½ tsp turmeric powder and salt to taste. Put on the lid of the pressure cooker and let it boil on a medium flame for up to 10 to 12 whistles.
Step 3: When done, turn off the flame of the gas stove and let it cool. Check the doneness.
Step 4: Drain the water. Keep it aside to cool down completely.
(Pro tip: Do not discard the water. You can use it to make a curry or dal tadka to have along with the puris).
Step 5: Now, take a piece of ginger (3-inch size, peeled, cut into small pieces), 12 cloves of garlic (whole, peeled), and 3 pieces of green chilies (broken in half) in a mixer grinder and blend them into a fine paste.
(Pro tip: I have used garlic in the recipe. You can skip it if you want).
Step 6: Now, add the boiled chana dal along with 1.5 tsp of cumin powder (roasted) and blend it together.
(Pro tip: Do not add any water while grinding. You will need a thick and dry stuffing).
Step 7: Check the consistency and texture of the paste. If it is too coarse, grind for one more time. Keep it aside when done.
Step 8: In the meantime, to make the dough for the dal puris, take 2 cups of wheat flour (atta) on a large plate or thali and add ½ tsp of salt to it. Mix it nicely with your hand. Then, gradually add water as required to make a smooth dough.
(Pro tip: The dough for dal puri should not be too soft or too hard. Keep it aside for about 15 minutes to set properly if your dough is not perfect, or else make the dough balls straightaway).
Step 9: Make the dough balls. Keep them aside.
(Pro tip: Traditionally, dal puris are larger than regular puris. So, make sure the dough balls are relatively larger).
Step 10: Take a dough ball and press it at the center with your two thumbs, turning it continuously keeping other 8 fingers outside as shown in the image below. Give it a shape like a small bowl.
Step 11: Put a bit of the chana dal stuffing inside it and cover it from all the sides as shown in the images below.
Step 12: Then, roll and press the dough ball with your fingers and palm as shown in the image below to flatten it a bit. This will distribute the chana dal stuffing evenly inside the dough ball.
Step 13: Now, roll it gently with a rolling pin to make a thick puri so that the stuffing inside is not visible from the outside, exactly as shown in the image below.
(Pro tip: Roll it very gently otherwise the stuffing will come out from the sides. Typically, it should be a large puri. However, if you are not comfortable making it, you can make smaller puris).
Step 14: Now, heat a sufficient quantity of cooking oil in a kadai on a medium flame. When it is hot, put the puri carefully. Flip and fry it on a low to medium flame until both the sides turn to golden brown. Remove when done. Repeat the process to fry all the dal puris and keep them on a plate, one by one.
(Pro tip: Since the puris are thick, fry them on a low to medium flame or else it will be uncooked from the inside. Do not worry if oil seeps inside the puri from a hole developed while frying. Fry it from the other side and the oil will run out from the inside).
Step 15: Your tasty and healthy homemade dal puris are now ready. Serve them hot along with a vegetable curry or dal tadka.
Recipe Card
Dal Puri
Ingredients
For the stuffing:
- 1 cup chana dal
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
- 6 cups water
- 1 piece ginger 3-inch size, peeled, cut into small pieces
- 12 cloves garlic whole, peeled
- 3 pieces green chilies broken in half
- 1.5 tsp cumin powder roasted
For making the dough:
- 2 cups wheat flour atta
- ½ tsp salt
- Water as required
For frying dal puris:
- Cooking oil – An adequate amount
Instructions
- Take a cup of chana dal in a bowl and put water in it. Wash it nicely with your hand for 2 to 3 times.
- Now, put it in a pressure cooker and add 6 cups of water to it. Also, add ½ tsp turmeric powder and salt to taste. Put on the lid of the pressure cooker and let it boil on a medium flame for up to 10 to 12 whistles.
- When done, turn off the flame of the gas stove and let it cool. Check the doneness.
- Drain the water. Keep it aside to cool down completely. (Pro tip: Do not discard the water. You can use it to make a curry or dal tadka to have along with the puris).
- Now, take a piece of ginger (3-inch size, peeled, cut into small pieces), 12 cloves of garlic (whole, peeled), and 3 pieces of green chilies (broken in half) in a mixer grinder and blend them into a fine paste. (Pro tip: I have used garlic in the recipe. You can skip it if you want).
- Now, add the boiled chana dal along with 1.5 tsp of cumin powder (roasted) and blend it together. (Pro tip: Do not add any water while grinding. You will need a thick and dry stuffing).
- Check the consistency and texture of the paste. If it is too coarse, grind for one more time. Keep it aside when done.
- In the meantime, to make the dough for the dal puris, take 2 cups of wheat flour (atta) on a large plate or thali and add ½ tsp of salt to it. Mix it nicely with your hand. Then, gradually add water as required to make a smooth dough. (Pro tip: The dough for dal puri should not be too soft or too hard. Keep it aside for about 15 minutes to set properly if your dough is not perfect, or else make the dough balls straightaway).
- Make the dough balls. Keep them aside. (Pro tip: Traditionally, dal puris are larger than regular puris. So, make sure the dough balls are relatively larger).
- Take a dough ball and press it at the center with your two thumbs, turning it continuously keeping other 8 fingers outside as shown in the image below. Give it a shape like a small bowl.
- Put a bit of the chana dal stuffing inside it and cover it from all the sides as shown in the images below.
- Then, roll and press the dough ball with your fingers and palm as shown in the image below to flatten it a bit. This will distribute the chana dal stuffing evenly inside the dough ball.
- Now, roll it gently with a rolling pin to make a thick puri so that the stuffing inside is not visible from the outside, exactly as shown in the image below. (Pro tip: Roll it very gently otherwise the stuffing will come out from the sides. Typically, it should be a large puri. However, if you are not comfortable making it, you can make smaller puris).
- Now, heat a sufficient quantity of cooking oil in a kadai on a medium flame. When it is hot, put the puri carefully. Flip and fry it on a low to medium flame until both the sides turn to golden brown. Remove when done. Repeat the process to fry all the dal puris and keep them on a plate, one by one. (Pro tip: Since the puris are thick, fry them on a low to medium flame or else it will be uncooked from the inside. Do not worry if oil seeps inside the puri from a hole developed while frying. Fry it from the other side and the oil will run out from the inside).
- Your tasty and healthy homemade dal puris are now ready. Serve them hot along with a vegetable curry or dal tadka.
