| How To Cook: |
|
|
1. In a deep bowl, combine the flour and the ghee. With your fingertips rub the flour and the fat together until they look like flakes of coarse meal. Make a well in the center, pour ¼ cup of the lukewarm water into it, and with your fingers
|
2. Stirring vigorously after each addition, pour in up to ¾ cup more of the lukewarm water, adding it a tablespoon or so at a time and using only enough water to form a dough that can be gathered into a firm, compact ball. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough by folding it end to end, then pressing it down and pushing it forward several times with the heel of your hand. Repeat for about 7 or 8 minutes, or until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
|
3. Again gather it into a ball, place it in a bowl, and drape a dampened kitchen towel over the top. Let the dough rest for at least 30 minutes. You can safely let the dough stand at room temperature for several hours if it is well covered and the towel lightly moistened from time to time to prevent the dough from drying out.
|
4. To shape each puri, pinch off about 2 tablespoons of the dough and form it into a slightly flattened ball about 1½ inches in diameter. Place the ball on a lightly floured surface and, with a rolling pin, roll it out from the center to the far edge.
|
5. Lift the dough, turn it clockwise about 2 inches, and roll it again from the center to the far edge. Repeat - lifting, turning, rolling - until the circle is about 5 inches in diameter. Sprinkle a little flour over and under the ball from time to time to prevent it from sticking. As you proceed, cover the puris with a dampened kitchen towel.
|
6. Pour 3 cups of vegetable oil into a 10-inch karhai or a 12-inch wok, or fill a deep fryer or 10- to 12-inch skillet or saute pan with oil to a depth of about 2 inches. Heat the oil until it reaches a temperature of 350°F on the thermostat or a deep-frying thermometer.
|
7. Place one puri at a time in the hot oil. It will begin to puff immediately but unevenly. Fry it for about a minute, meanwhile pressing any flat surfaces deep into the oil with the back of a perforated spoon. Turn the puri over and, still pressing it with the spoon, fry for a minute longer, or until it is evenly puffed and golden brown. As they brown, transfer the puris to paper towels to drain. Serve the puris while they are still warm.
|
NOTE: To make chapatis or griddle-fried whole-wheat breads, prepare the dough as described above and let it rest for 30 minutes. Two tablespoons at a time, shape the dough into balls and roll each one into a 5-inch round. Without adding any fat, heat a well-seasoned griddle or 10-to 12-inch cast-iron skillet or a skillet that has a nonstick surface.
|
1. When a drop of water flicked into the pan splutters instantly, add one of the chapatis. Moving the bread about constantly with your fingers or shaking the pan back and forth constantly to keep the chapatti from sticking, cook it for a minute or so, until the top begins to darken somewhat. Turn the chapati over and cook for 1 minute longer, or until it is lightly browned. Transfer the chapati to a serving plate and fry the rest in a similar fashion.
|
2. If you like, you may spread each chapati with about ¼ teaspoon of ghee
|
