Victorian Dal Puri

Victorian Dal Puri is a traditional Anglo-Indian recipe from the 1860s for a for a classic fried flatbread or snack of deep fried pastry dough with a masoor dal filling. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Anglo-Indian version of: Victorian Dal Puri.

prep time

20 minutes

cook time

35 minutes

Total Time:

55 minutes

Additional Time:

(+20 minutes resting)

Makes:

16

Rating:

Tags : CurryVegetarian RecipesSpice RecipesBread RecipesFusion RecipesBritish Recipes

This is a traditional Anglo-Indian recipe redacted from the volume: THE INDIAN COOKERY BOOK: A Practical Handbook to The Kitchen in India (author unknown), published by: WYMAN & CO., HARE STREET CALCUTTA circa 1869.

Original Recipe

221.—Dalpooree.

Prepare a dal chur churree, recipe No. 93; put it into a marble mortar, and reduce it to a fine paste.
Prepare an ordinary pie pastry; take two pieces of the prepared dough, each of the size of a walnut;
shape them into two small bowls; take as much of the dal paste as will make a ball the size of a
walnut; put it into one of the bowls of dough, and cover it over with the other bowl, and then roll out
the whole very carefully to the size of a dinner-plate, and fry in ghee of a very light yellow colour.
The lighter and thinner dalpoorees can be made the better. They should be eaten hot.

Modern Redaction

Ingredients:

1 batch Masoor Dal Chur Churi (but made with 4 onions)
500g (4 cups) plain (all purpose) flour
3 tsp fine rava (semolina/suji)
1/2 tsp sea salt
4 tsp melted ghee (divided)
180ml (3/4 cup) cold water
extra water to bind
oil for deep frying

Method:

Begin by preparing the Masoor Dal Chur Churi according to the recipe (but use 4 onions rather than 3).

Prepare the pastry (dough). Sift the flour and salt into a bowl then stir in the semolina. Pour over 3 tsp of the ghee, form a well in the centre and add the 180ml cold water.

Mix to combine with a fork then work the dough with your fingers. Continue sprinking over a little more water at a time, working with your fingers until the mixture comes together as stiff dough. You want a dough that is not crumbly, but which is neither too soft (think cake pastry).

Drizzle over 1 tsp melted ghee and knead lightly (this will make the dough more workable, whilst keeping it stiff and tight). Wrap the dough in clingfilm and set aside.

When the masoor dal chur churi is ready, mix in the fried onions, allow to cool slightly then turn into a blender and process to a paste. Set aside to cool.

Divide the dough into 16 equal portions. Roll between your palms to smooth them out.

Taking each ball of dough at a time, use your thumb to make a hole in the centre. Add a tsp of the dal mixture then close the mixture in the dough ball.

Flatten between your palm then roll into thick rounds (do not roll to thinly or the filling will come out).

Heat oil in a wok or deep fryer to 180C. Once hot, add in the puris a few at a time (do not over-crowd). Deep fry until golden in colour then remove from the oil and drain on kitchen paper as you cook the next batch.

Serve warm.

Find more Victorian Recipes Here and more Curry Recipes Here. For the original version of The Indian Cookery book see my The Indian Cookery Book main page.