Masala Poori |Tikhi Puri
Recipe: Masala Poori |Tikhi Puri
Masala Poori |Tikhi Puri is a spicy, slightly flaky, deep fried Gujarati flatbread that is usually enjoyed as breakfast or travel food with masala tea, mango pickle called chundo or any other pickle.
A Typical Gujarati Breakfast Option
In fact, go to any typical Gujarati family for breakfast on weekends and masala puri or tikhi puri with sugary masala tea will surely be served to you. Actually, the younger Gujarati generation usually do not make them as they prefer to shy away from fried stuff. However, they do relish them when someone else has made them.Besides masala tea, these pooris are enjoyed with chundo, a sweet mango pickle or gor keri, another type of mango pickle.
Two Types Of Masala Poori |Tikhi Puri
Usually the softer one is made for breakfast and served hot. The spices are almost the same. But fresh fenugreek is not added to it. Add less oil in the dough. They are rolled out into smaller circles and deep fried. They tend to puff up like balloons.
Alternately, other one is the more flaky, thicker and bigger one. For this version more oil is added to make them flaky. Also fresh or dried fenugreek is added to make them more flavourful. These pooris tend to stay fresh for at least 3-5 days depending on the weather. Therefore, they make excellent travel food.
Memories
My Dad’s favourite…. anytime can be tikhi puri time. If we are having dosa or any other dinner meal that is not his favourite, then he is happy to have hot tikhi puri and tea. Sundays was always tikhi puri when I was growing up. Undoubtedly, it is comfort food for me. As a child, sometimes we would go for a long drive up to Limuru where it would a bit cold and misty with my uncle. We would stop at a ridge where below you can see the valley. Subsequently, out would come out a thermos flask with hot masala tea and some puris. Unquestionably, who says that we cannot have only 2 food items for a lovely picnic?
When I got married, the flaky thicker kind was mostly prepared as a light dinner option as my father in law loved them. Indeed, Masala poori was also my kids favourite beach picnic and travel food. Especially, train journeys to Nairobi during the school holidays meant that I had to make the ‘pooris with the lines’ as they called them. I am making the more flaky version today.
More Gujarati Snacks You May Want To Check Out
Ingredients Required For Masala Poori |Tikhi Puri
Wheat Flour – atta. The type we usually use for rotis, parathas.
Salt – adjust according to your taste.
Red Chilli Powder – add according to your taste. Can omit it and add more green chilli paste.
Green Chilli Paste – add according to your taste.
Ginger Paste– make sure you make a fine paste.
Turmeric Powder – haldi, hardar.
Ajwain – ajmo, carom seeds.
Oil – add less in the dough for the softer version. About 1 tbsp is fine. For the flaky one don’t skimp on the amount of oil required. Also, need some extra for deep frying.
Water – to make the dough. May need more or less as it all depends on the quality of the wheat flour. In fact, some absorb more water than others.
Fresh Fenugreek or Coriander – finely chopped. If you don’t have any then add Kasuri Methi which is dried fenugreek. It is easily available in all Indian stores or online. I like to use fenugreek as it adds a unique flavour to the masala poori.
MASALA POORI | TIKHI PURI
Ingredients
- 3 cups wheat flour
- 1½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 1 tsp green chilli paste
- 1 tsp ginger paste
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp ajwain
- 8 tbsp oil
- 1 -1¼ cup water or more
- ½ cup fresh fenugreek finely chopped
- extra oil for deep frying
Instructions
- Sieve the flour. Add to it all the spices, salt and finely chopped fenugreek.
- Add the oil and rub it into the flour.
- Add water little at a time and make a slightly stiff dough. It should not be soft. Can add more water if required as the amount required depends on the type of flour.
- Cover the dough and let it rest for 15 -30 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 20 or 25 portions and roll between your palms to form a ball.
- Flatten the ball between your palms. Roll out the puris about 3-4 inches in diameter. Cut 4 slits as shown in the picture.
- Heat the oil for frying over medium flame.
- When it is hot, fry the puris one by one over low heat. Do not fry over high heat as they will not come out crunchy.
- Serve them hot or store in an airtight container once it is cool.
Notes
- Don't roll them out too thick as they will not turn out crunchy.
- If you do not have ajmo or ajwain, use cumin seeds.
- Add salt and chilli according to your taste.
- If you don't have fresh fenugreek, use fresh coriander or kasuri methi. I tsp kasuri methi is enough.
- Serve with pickles.
- If you are making the softer type,add 1 tbsp oil in the dough. Roll out small puris. Use half the recipe. Fry them over medium flame so that they puff up well. Also don't make the dough stiff.
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8 Comments
vaishali sabnani
July 27, 2017 at 1:01 am
Typical Gujju ! The Poori 's look so good , I would love to munch on them with some Gujju choondo or Gorkeri .
The Pumpkin Farm
July 27, 2017 at 4:11 am
I dont mind a mug of tea and these tikhi puris any time of the day, they look lovely
Rafeeda AR
July 27, 2017 at 7:45 am
This looks more crispy… looks really delicious… would love to taste this sometime…
Srividhya Gopalakrishnan
July 30, 2017 at 4:56 am
Poori looks great and love all the flavors went it. Great share.
Sapana Behl
July 31, 2017 at 11:23 am
Pass me these masala puris, please. Love them totally.
Chef Mireille
August 8, 2017 at 3:40 am
they look so pretty – crispy and golden!
Jayashree
August 8, 2017 at 5:07 pm
This sounds so flavorful. The idea of eating these pooris while drinking a hot cup of tea is so appealing.
I Camp in my Kitchen
August 24, 2017 at 9:41 am
these loos fab mayuri! why to shy away from such a yumm snack, i m bookmarking this to try on a weekend!