I’ve owed you guys this recipe for a little while now. I’m feeling very guilty, so in the middle of my vacation I got out my laptop and decided to finally post it. Please forgive me. I originally posted the picture of dhal puri in my Foodbuzz 24, 24, 24 post, but never the recipe. So here it is! Its an Indian flatbread that has a flavorful split pea filling…no curry needed with this.
3 cups all purpose flour
1 to 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
4 oz shortening
1 to 1 1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup oil
1 oz shortening or ghee to spread
Sift flour and baking powder in a bowl. Combine shortening or ghee and flour( you can use a food processor, hand or knife). Add salt and water to mixture. Knead dough for 5 mins. Cover and allow to sit for half hour.
Filling
2 cups yellow peas
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garam masala
5 sprigs of thyme
1 tsp salt
1 cherry pepper (optional)
Boil peas in a pot of water for 15 mins. Drain. Add garlic, thyme and pepper. Place in a food processor and chop until smooth (there should be no grains). Filling should be lose and not a paste. Add salt, cumin and garam masala to filling, mix well using a fork.
Place dough on a well floured surface and cut into 8 pieces. Flatten a ball of dough and place 2 tbsp of filling in center. Pinch edges close. Repeat with all the pieces of dough.
Cooking
Oil a tawa or griddle on medium heat. Roll out the dough into even rounds about 9 inches ensuring that the filling spreads evenly. Place on griddle or tawa. Spread oil, mixed with ghee or shortening. Allow to cook for 1 minute, turn over and brush with oil and shortening/ghee mixture. Flip again, allow to cook for about 30 seconds and remove from heat. Place wax paper between each dhal puri to prevent from sticking together.
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pds
Thanks for posting this! Quick question: my mother used to soak her split peas overnight instead of boiling them. Is there a difference?
Cynthia
Thanks for sharing this will give it a try.
Shaundelle
Thank you for your wonderful recipes. I love your site and the pictures always make my mouth water! I do have one favor to ask – can you please post your recipe for Guyanese beef patties? The one’s in your post look delicious! Thanks in advance : – )
Taymer
It is a little different from the one I tried. I will do it and if I do a roti tutorial again I can backlink to your blog in how to do this skin since I have no skin recipe to my name yet. I use to make a good buss up shut when I was 14 but I never measured anything.I will make a batch of these next weekend
JehanP Post author
I will post the beef patty recipes within the next week.
JehanP Post author
Sorry I took so long to respond to you, but I had to turn to my mom to help me answer this question because I’m not familiar with this method of making dhal puri. According to my mom, when u soak the peas instead of boiling it it doesn’t distribute as well, and it’s also more of a paste when ground. I will have to try that method.
Carol
Your dhal puri looks awesome. My question is what makes your puri softer, is it butter or ghee? I have made mine with butter, but the next day they are not as soft?
JehanP Post author
Sorry it took me so long to reply…I’ve never made dhal puri using butter so I have no idea which would be softer.
Val
Thank you so much for all the fantastic Guyanese recipes. I’ve tried several of them, patties, roti, pinetarts, and a few more. The only ones that didn’t turn out so good were the puri and cheese roll. The taste and the smell of the puri was great but it didn’t look like yours. When I was finished with the dough, it was very sticky. I had assumed that the dough will be similar to the roti dough but it wasn’t. It wasn’t flaky and the peas wasn’t falling out when you tear it. The actual dough was brown in color as though I used whole wheat flour but I didn’t. I don’t know what I did wrong but I’ll try it again. Also, there is one thing missing from the ingredients for the dough and that is the amount of salt to use.
The cheese roll was flaky but I guess I didn’t seal it properly so all the cheese filling ended up in the pan. Do I need to fold it over to seal it?
I have always been a pretty good cook and my family & friends look forward to whatever I cook on weekends. Do you have any recommendations for the puri and the cheese roll. Thanks a lot.
PS: I add peas and diced hash brown potatoes to my patties. They are delicious. I also add 1 inch cinnamon sticks (2-3) to the pineapple filling for the pine tarts.
JehanP Post author
Hi, I apologize for the mistakes in the recipe. I reviewed the recipe and I did indeed leave out the salt. I also double checked my dhal puri recipe and I mistakingly put the wrong measurements…oops! I changed the amount of water from 1 1/2 cup to 1 to 1 1/4 cup. If you are familiar with making roti, this dough should be a little bit stiffer than the roti dough. As for the Cheese rolls you do need to fold over the dough and make sure to seal the edges well by pressing it together with a fork. Also my mom usually adds peas in her beef patties as well, but I have yet to try it with the potatoes, but it does sound yummy! Thanks for the feedback on the recipes.
mandy
what’s the secret for making soft dhal puri? SOme people add a bit of yeast to the dough – could that work?
shikira
Hello,
What is the secret to making dhal puri roti without the peas sticking to the dough. Half the time I am sucessfull and half the time it sticks and doesnt break apart when eating.
Please any seggestions?
JehanP Post author
Shikira I’m sorry but that’s a mystery to me also!
triniboyrn
Thanks for this awesome recipe. I have tried a few but this is absolutely the best. Thanks again.
JehanP Post author
You’re welcome
alasha
i can’t make that dhal puri but i will keep on trying
michele
hi i live in uk and i would like to try and make dhal puri . i have all ingredients except shortening can you tell me what that is so i can buy it from supermarket thanks . i would like mine to look like yours .
JehanP Post author
You can use lard instead.
marco
Dhalpuri looks great … and I don’t think Guyanese makes Dhalpuri like this.. this is more Tininidadian… . Theirs is much smaller and they call it puri
JehanP Post author
Hi Marco, my puri is a recipe from my mom who was born and bred in Guyana as am I. Growing up in Guyana I remember our Dhal Puri ,which we refer to as puri for short, being just like what my mom makes. I am not familiar with any other version of Guyanese Dhal Puri but if you have a recipe please share, I am always willing to try something new.
Khamal D Dutt Misra
THANK YOU!!! I am very Impressed that you were able us measurements. most guyaneese recipie is a little bit of this and a little bit of that no actual measurements.:))
michele
thank tou for recipe .
sam
if the dhal get like a paste kinda sticky what should i do. I used the food processor but not grainy .
JehanP Post author
Sam you peas is probably too soft. Don’t boil until completely soft, it still needs to be a bit grainy so it doesn’t form a paste.
Arisa Ryan
if some one making this dish they need to add yeast jus the rite amount to the dough as to make it a bit soft
Yasmin
Marco might be referring to the little round puri which is fried in oil or ghee. Its usually made for weddings or Hindu Pooja, its also eaten with Halwa when someone has a baby.
Yasmin
Jehan I wanted to share this with you
Puri
Description
Flat, fried roti. Served at Puja’s, this flat bread is delicious with 7 curry, or sweets like parsad, pera, lapsee, sweet rice, and ghurama(sweet mango jam curry)
Ingredients
At a glance
Rotis
Makes
30-50 puri4 cups all purpose flour + more for rolling
1/4 cup of Ghee
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup of lukewarm water (note that more or less water may be needed.)
Ghee and oil for frying
Methods/steps
In a bowl, combine the flour and sugar.
Mix in the ghee, and rub well so it resembles coarse crumbs.
Add the water in slowly, and mix well until you get a smooth, NOT sticky, soft dough. (as mentioned, more or less water may be needed)
Knead for 1-2 minutes(if dough is sticky, add a little more flour, if its too dry, add more water)
Smear some ghee over the top of the dough, and leave it to soak for 30 minutes.
Break the dough into 35-40 small, equal sized balls. About golf ball sized.
In a large karahi, or frying pan, fill it with 2 inches of ghee, and 1 cup of oil. heat on medium heat.
Dust each loyah ball in flour, and roll to a thin circle. (Note that the puri needs to be thinner than a roti, but not too thin, or you will end up with hard crackers.)
Stack 2 puri on top of eachother.(this ensures the puri will not burn when its cooking)
When the ghee/oil mixture is hot, fry 1 puri stack at a time. They will fry very quickly, so when they begin to puff up and rise in the ghee, quickly flip over.
Drain the puri on a paper towel, and stack the cooked puri’s on top each other.
When finished frying, wipe the ghee from the puri’s so they will not be too greasy.
Serve hot with sweets, or vegetable curry
Additional Tips
When mixing the dough, if it is mixed too soft and sticky, use additional flour to knead it into a smooth soft dough. If it is too dry, add more water. If making puri for religious use, be sure to fry with only ghee
JehanP Post author
Wow, this sounds tasty! Does it have a bit of a sweetness to it?? Is it sometimes eaten as a dessert?
nelly
I can’t wait to try this recipe i am so excited
Sport i Rekreacja
You got a definitely helpful blog I’ve been right here reading for about an hour. I’m a newbie and your accomplishment is quite a lot an inspiration for me.
frank miller
wow!! i made roti over the weekend and i can only tell you remarkable thank you turned out just like you say
awasome ( you) look forward to more of you and food ideas
True Guyanese
Thank you so much for this recepi , it was the best dahlpuri I ever made.
Loverboy
newbie, was just reading these receipe and love them. Usually people does not like to share their receipe. Just want to say thanks.
Wanted to add to the puri receipe, it is better to melt the sugar in the water first and don’t press dry the puri or it will become hard and stiff. Best place to store is in cardboard box with parchment paper and let drain overnight. stack 4-5 then parchment paper in between, sometimes paper towel dry out the puri. This taste better when stale or a day old. made it quite a few times, but never measure anything. Thanks Yasmin.
JehanP Post author
Thanks for the tips Yasmin, my mom always stores her puri between parchment paper in between. I have to say that I love hot puri just off of the tawa!
Amanda
Hi Jehan. I used your recipe for the Dhal Puri Roti and it came out perfect! This was my first time making roti. I made mine a little smaller in size since I don’t have a tawa….I just used a nonstick griddle pan. Thanks so much for the awesome recipe!!!
Christine
Hi, I just ran across your recipe today. I made the dahl Puri and it was fabulous. I don’t have a tawa but I do have an Iron frying pan. I turned it upside down and the dahl puri came out delicious. It was soft, the filling was powdery and very flavorful. I have experimented with Dahl Puri before but your instructions were very good. I have never used shortening in it before and I think that was the trick to the softness and it rolled out quite thinly without breaking, which was a problem for me in the past. Thanks. My next purchase will be a tawa.
Marcelle
Hi Jehan,
Thanks for the awesome recipes that you keep supplying. They really remind me of home. Do you have a recipe for channa and mango curry (curry done with both channa and curry in it)? If so, can you please share?
JehanP Post author
Hi Marcelle, recipes will be coming soon for those.