Bhatia Puri (Festival Style)

About this recipe

Festival puris in a Bhatia kitchen are a different animal from everyday bread—they're made to last through a heavy lunch, staying crisp as the afternoon goes on. The trick is semolina: work it into the dough so the puris stay golden and crackling rather than turning leathery and tough the way plain wheat puris do. There's ajwain in the dough too, the warming seed that keeps them easy on the stomach through course after course of heavy food. Roll them thick enough to puff into proper pillows—too thin and they stay flat, too thin and they're gone in two bites. The shallow-fry is actually gentler than deep-frying; you're spooning hot oil over the top as each puri floats up, coaxing them into their puff. It's a small move that makes all the difference. These are the puris for festivals and big meals, the kind that come out when you're feeding a crowd. They pair with any sabzi—the tomato-based ones, the creamy ones, the dry ones. They're sturdy enough to carry weight, light enough not to leave you feeling stuffed. Drain them on a rack rather than paper towels so they don't steam themselves back into toughness. They're best eaten warm, within an hour of frying, but they'll keep crisp for most of a day in an airtight container. The day-old puris are still good, slightly less crispy, good for breakfast with leftover sabzi.