Dal Puri is a puri filled with a spicy chana dal filling which was made for special occasions and festivals in my home. It's best enjoyed with kheer!

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 40 minutes
  • Cook time: 30 minutes
  • Total time: 130 minutes
  • Yield: 9 puris
  • Category: Breads
  • Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

  • 1 cup chana dal ([adjustable] 190 grams [/adjustable], soaked for an hour)

For the dough

  • 2 cups atta ([adjustable] 260 grams [/adjustable])
  • ⅛ teaspoon ajwain
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon oil ([adjustable] 15 ml [/adjustable], I used avocado oil)
  • water (to knead the dough, around ¾ cup)

Dal Filling

  • 2 cups water (for pressure cooking the dal)
  • 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • ¼ teaspoon red chili powder
  • 1 & ½ tablespoon oil ([adjustable] 22 ml [/adjustable], I used avocado oil)
  • ¾ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • ¼ teaspoon hing
  • 1 teaspoon ginger (minced)
  • 1 teaspoon garlic (minced)
  • 1-2 green chilies (chopped, adjust to taste)
  • 1 dried red chili (broken)
  • 2-3 tablespoons cilantro (chopped)
  • oil (to fry the puris, I used avocado oil)

Method

  1. Rinse 1 cup chana dal twice and then soak it in enough water for 1 hour. Do this step first.
  2. To make the dough- take a large paraat/plate and add 2 cups atta (260 grams) to it along with ⅛ teaspoon ajwain, ½ teaspoon salt, and 1 tablespoon oil. Mix everything with your hands. Now, start adding water little by little to bring the dough together and then knead using your knuckles and wrist into a smooth yet firm dough. I used around ¾ cup water for this, but it may vary depending on the flour type. Cover the dough with a bowl and let it rest 30 minutes.
  3. After the chana dal has soaked, now drain the water using a strainer. Transfer the dal to a pressure cooker, add 2 cups water, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon turmeric, and ¼ teaspoon chili powder. Stir with a spoon and then close the lid of the pressure cooker. Cook on medium-high heat for 3 whistles, then lower the heat and cook 2 more minutes. Turn off the heat and wait for the pressure to come down.
  4. Then drain the dal using a strainer to get rid of any excess moisture. Transfer the dal to a bowl and mash it slightly using a potato masher.
  5. Now, put a pan on medium heat and add 1 & ½ tablespoons oil to it. Once the oil is hot, add ¾ teaspoon cumin seeds and let them sizzle, then add ¼ teaspoon hing, 1 teaspoon minced ginger and garlic each, 1 green chili, and 1 broken dried red chili. Cook for a few seconds until the garlic and ginger start changing color.
  6. Then add the cooked and mashed dal, mix well using a spatula, cook for the dal with the tempering for 3 to 4 minutes on low heat. Then add 2-3 tablespoons cilantro (chopped) and mix. The filling is ready.

Make puris

  1. Take a small dough ball (around 45-50 grams), and smoothen it out by rolling between your palm. Now, flatten it and press with your thumb to make a notch in the center. Fill with 1-2 tablespoons of the prepared dal filling.
  2. Bring the edges together with your fingers and seal the dough. Now press it down to flatten it. Then pat and roll it a little using your hands. Then carefully roll it into a circle, around 5 inches in diameter. Be careful while rolling, roll it gently so that the puris don't tear up.
  3. Heat oil in a kadai on high heat (around 375 F degrees). Once the oil is hot (to check you can slide a piece of dough in the oil it should come up immediately, the oil is ready to fry at this point), gently slide a rolled puri into the hot oil.
  4. Press it with a spatula immediately while moving it in a circular motion- this helps the puri puff. Fry on one side for around 30 seconds, then flip and fry the second side as well until golden brown from both sides. Fry all puris similarly.
  5. Enjoy with rice kheer for a festive meal.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.