Hotel style Poori Recipe (Indian Puffed Bread)
Last Updated on June 17, 2023 by Santosh Allada
The only Hotel style Poori Recipe you will need! The puri turns out fluffy, slightly crisp, soft and has a beautiful golden color. These pooris are known for their light and airy texture.
One of India’s most beloved breakfast dishes is the delightful combination of poori and aloo sabzi (curry). There is something magical about the crisp yet soft pooris that makes it loved by all age groups.
In today’s post, I will guide you through the process of creating perfect, fluffy pooris that resemble the ones served in high-end hotels. And, with the tips and tricks prepare pooris that are not oily at all.
What is Poori?
Poori, also spelled as puri, is a deep-fried bread made from a simple dough consisting of wheat flour, water, and salt. It is a popular Indian breakfast in both south and north India.
It is a versatile dish that can be enjoyed with a variety of side dishes such as veg and non-veg curry, as an accompaniment to sweet dishes like halwa (sweet pudding), kheer, aamras, or even as a standalone breakfast item.
Poori is often served during festive occasions, religious ceremonies, wedding functions, and special family gatherings.
About Hotel style Poori Recipe
Hotel-style pooris have a distinct taste and texture that sets them apart from regular homemade pooris. At home, traditionally poori is made with only 3 main ingredients – whole wheat flour, salt, and water.
While homemade pooris are soft, hotel-style pooris strike a perfect balance between being soft on the inside and crispy on the outside.
The secret to the hotel style poori recipe includes the use of semolina (sooji/rava), sugar, and a touch of oil while preparing the dough.
Apart from the ingredients, the key to achieving the perfect hotel-style pooris lies in the proper kneading of the dough, the resting time, the rolling technique, and the oil temperature for frying.
Hotel style Poori is made from a simple dough consisting of wheat flour, semolina (sooji), oil, sugar, salt, and water. The dough is kneaded to achieve a smooth and firm texture, and then it is divided into small balls. These balls are rolled into circular shapes using a rolling pin and then deep-fried until they puff up and turn golden brown.
If you are a beginner, it may require some practice and adjustment to achieve the perfect consistency for your puri dough. Over time, you will develop a sense of the right texture through experience.
Also, the shape may not always be perfectly circular. If you struggle to get a round shape, can use a round cookie cutter or a big katori (small bowl made of stainless steel) to get the perfect round poori. Either roll one ball and then cut it or roll one big ball to make a big chapati size thick roti and cut multiple pooris at a time.
Reasons to try
Crisp & soft.
Delicious.
Easy to make.
Tried and tested failproof recipe.
Serve for any meal – breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
A popular food to pack for traveling.
A great option to pack for school lunchbox and picnics.
Vegetarian & Vegan.
Pro Tips
Here are a few of the secrets and tips which I learned during my experiments to make the perfect hotel style puri every time.
1. Consistency of dough: The dough should be soft, pliable, and stiff. Not too soft like chapati and not too stiff like samosa dough. If the dough is soft, the fried puris will not hold the shape and deflate soon.
2. Resting Time: Allow the dough to rest for at least 5 minutes after kneading. This resting period allows the gluten to relax and the dough to become more pliable, making it easier to roll out and puff up when frying. Do not rest the dough for a long time, it will make the dough soft.
3. Rolling Technique: Roll out the pooris evenly and not too thick or thin. If it is too thin like roti then it will not puff up while frying. Apply even pressure while rolling to maintain a consistent thickness.
4. Use a wide pan/kadai: Wide pan gives enough space to puff up, offers ease of turning, and reduces the likelihood of oil splattering out of the pan.
5. Oil type: When it comes to deep-frying puris, it is recommended to use an oil with a high smoke point and neutral flavor. This ensures that the oil remains stable at high temperatures and doesn’t impart any strong taste to the puris.
6. Oil temperature: The oil should be hot but not smoking. To check if the oil is ready, drop a small piece of dough into the oil – if it rises to the surface immediately and starts sizzling, the oil is at the right temperature.
7. Frying Time: Fry each poori until it puffs up fully and turns golden brown. Flip it once to ensure even cooking on both sides. The frying process should be relatively quick, taking approximately 30-45 seconds per poori.
8. Keep moderating the oil temperature: If the oil temperature becomes too hot (smoking), then reduce the flame or turn off the flame for a few minutes. After frying a few puris, if the oil temperature drops then increase the flame to high for a few minutes.
9. Serve Immediately: Pooris are best enjoyed fresh and hot. Serve them immediately after frying to retain their crispness and puffiness.
Ingredients
Whole wheat flour: I have used whole wheat flour, the same flour that is used to make chapati. In a few hotels and restaurants also adds some all-purpose flour (maida) but I prefer to make it with only whole wheat flour.
Semolina: It gives a crispy texture to the puri and also holds the fluffiness for a longer time.
Sugar: When puris are deep fried, the sugar caramelizes giving the fluffy poori a lovely golden brown color on the surface.
Seasoning: Salt.
Oil: for kneading and deep-frying.
Adding oil to the puri dough helps create a crispy texture.
Water: to knead the dough.
How to make Hotel style Poori (step-by-step)
Step 1: Making the Dough
1. In a bowl add semolina and 4 tbsp water. Let it soak for 5-10 minutes.
As I have used sooji, I soaked it before making the puri dough. Without soaking, the fried puri will have white dots on it.
If you are using a fine variety (chiroti rava), you can skip the step of soaking.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the whole wheat flour, salt, sugar, and oil. Mix them together to ensure the ingredients are evenly distributed.
Next, add the soaked semolina and mix.
3. Start by adding water gradually to the flour. Add small amounts of water at a time and mix it into the flour.
4. The dry flour should come together and form a stiff and tight dough.
Note: It must not be soft like the roti dough or crumbly like the mathri or samosa dough.
5. Once the dough comes together, knead for about 5 minutes or until the dough becomes smooth.
This step will help develop the gluten in the flour and improve the texture of the puris.
6. After kneading, shape the dough into a ball. Drizzle 1/2 tsp oil and lightly coat the dough with oil.
This will prevent it from drying out while resting.
7. Cover the dough with a kitchen towel, linen cloth, or plate and let it rest for 5 mins before making puri.
This resting period allows the gluten to relax and the dough to become more pliable. Do not rest the dough for a long time.
8. After resting time, the dough will turn a little softer than before but still stiff. Knead again to smooth the dough making it easier to roll out.
Step 2: Rolling the Pooris
9. Divide the dough into small, equal-sized portions. Roll each portion into a smooth ball between your palms
Work with one ball at a time and keep the rest covered with a cloth to prevent them from drying.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a wide kadai over a high flame.
10. Dust it with a little dry flour to prevent sticking. Use the dry flour as little as possible.
Usually in the hotels, oil is used for rolling the pooris.
11. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough into a circular shape, approximately 3-4 inches in diameter, and should be a little thick than the chapati.
Note 1: Roll only from one side, do not flip and roll from the reverse side.
Note 2: Ensure that the rolled puris are of even thickness and do not have any cracks, as this will help them puff up uniformly while frying.
Step 3: Frying the Pooris
11. Oil temperature test – pinch off a small portion of the dough and drop it into the oil. If the dough ball sinks to the bottom and takes a long time to rise, the oil is not hot enough. If it immediately rises to the surface and starts sizzling, the oil is too hot.
The dough should rise gradually, sizzle gently, and turn golden brown within 30 seconds to 1 minute, indicating that the oil is at the right temperature.
12. Once the oil is hot (not smoking), gently slide the rolled poori into the hot oil, away from your body, to avoid any splattering.
Dust off the extra flour from the rolled poori before frying.
13. Lightly press down on the edges of the poori using a slotted spoon to help it puff up evenly.
As you lift the spoon, the puri will puff.
14. Splashing hot oil onto the surface of the poori using a slotted spoon or ladle, it helps the puri to puff up even further.
15. Once it puffs, flip it over carefully.
An indication to flip the poori is no formation of bubbles.
16. Fry until the other side turns golden brown. Allow the puri to cook for a short time on the second side until it turns golden brown as well.
The second side will typically require less cooking time compared to the first side.
Note: The puri should be flipped only once during the frying process.
17. Once both sides are evenly cooked and have achieved the desired color, lift the puri out of the oil using a slotted spatula. Let any excess oil drip off before transferring the puri to a plate, paper towel-lined plate, or wire rack to drain.
Serve the puris hot and crispy with your favorite accompaniments for a delightful and satisfying meal.
Serving Suggestions
Poori tastes the best when served hot right out of the oil and can be enjoyed in various ways. Below are some suggestions for side dishes to serve with puri.
Any Indian curry or sabji: Aloo Rasedar, Aloo Tomato curry, Dried Peas curry, Mixed Veg Kurma, Aloo Besan curry, Chana masala, or Potato Masala.
Puri and sweet dishes like sooji halwa, aamras, kheer, or shrikhand are very popular combinations in Gujarat and Maharashtra.
Storage Suggestions
If you have leftover pooris that you would like to store for a short period, allow them to cool completely at room temperature. Once cooled, transfer them to an airtight container or ziplock bag. Store them at room temperature for up to 1-2 days.
If you want to store the pooris for a longer duration, you can store them in the refrigerator. Place them in an airtight container or ziplock bag and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days.
To reheat refrigerated or room temperature pooris, you can reheat them in a microwave or on a nonstick pan or tawa.
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