Bhatura is a fluffy, puffed, and deep-fried Indian bread (Punjabi) that is famously served with golden brown chickpea curry (chole) in India. Learn how to make Punjabi Bhatura at home using my easy, no yeast recipe.
¼cupplain yogurt (dahi, curd)preferable homemade slightly sour dahi, at room temperature
4-5cupsvegetable oil for frying
Instructions
Make The Dough
Add flour, semolina, sugar, salt, baking soda, and baking powder to a large mixing bowl (or parat).
Mix everything well using your fingers.
Add oil and yogurt and mix well using your fingertips. The mixture should be crumbly at this stage.
Now add water little by little (approx ¼ cup total) and mix to make a very soft dough. Do not add the water at one go otherwise, the dough can become very very sticky. The exact quantity of water will depend upon the quality of flour used.
Knead the bhatura dough for 3-4 minutes using the heel of your hands.
Note – You can also make the dough in your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.
Rest The Dough
Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and keep it aside on the kitchen counter (or some warm place) for 2-3 hours or for the best result overnight.
Once the dough has rested well, knead it very well for 6-8 minutes until it is soft and smooth.
You can use a stand mixer to knead the dough. Knead it on medium speed for 5-6 minutes.
Roll The Bhatura
Divide the dough into 8-10 equal portions and roll them to make smooth balls.
Take one ball and roll to make a 6-7 inch round or oval shape using a rolling pin. Keep the other balls covered with the cloth to prevent their drying.
The edges of the bhatura should be a little thinner than the center. Apply a little warm oil while rolling.
The bhatura will shrink in size and become slightly thicker once you lift it from the rolling board, so keep that in mind.
Fry The Bhatura
Heat 4-5 cups of oil for frying in a pan over medium-high heat.
To check if the oil is nicely heated, drop a small dough ball in the hot oil. It should rise up immediately.
Once the oil is very hot, slide the Bhatura into the hot oil and fry until it is browned from the bottom side. Gently press with the back of a slotted spoon while frying.
Now gently flip it and fry from the other side as well.
Fry from one side only once. Do not keep flipping the bhatura in the oil.
Note - If the bhatura is not puffing, it means the temperature of the oil is less. Increase the heat and let the oil heat up nicely before sliding the bhatura into it.
Once done, remove it on a plate lined with a paper towel to soak the excess oil.
Fry all the bhatura in the same manner and serve piping hot.
Adding little fine semolina to the dough makes the bhatura crispier. You can skip adding it if you don’t have it.The consistency of the dough should be very soft. It should literally stick to your fingers while kneading.Once all the ingredients are mixed together, make sure you knead the dough for at least 6-8 minutes. This will break the gluten and make the dough elastic. If you have a stand mixer, then use it to knead the dough. Knead at medium speed for 6-8 minutes.Resting the dough is also very important to get the right texture. Resting makes it elastic and easy to handle. Once it has rested well, knead it again for 1-2 minutes.While rolling the bhatura, do not use dry flour as it will spoil the oil in which they will be fried. Use little hot oil to roll them. Also instead of lifting the bhatura and rolling it, try to move the rolling board.The thickness of the rolled Bhatura should be approximately 3 mm. It is rolled thicker than poori and the edges are thinner than the center.Roll the bhatura slightly thinner than required, as once lifted, the dough tends to shrink back.Heat the oil properly before you start frying. If fried in less hot oil, it will not fluff and will become soggy. You can test the oil by dropping a small piece of dough in it. If it immediately puffs up and comes to the top, then the oil is ready to fry.Keep the size of the bhatura that fits the Kadai you are frying them in. If your Kadai is small, then make them small in size. They should have enough space to puff up.Do not drop the Bhatura in the kadai. Instead, slide them from the side gently in hot oil.