Chana puri

🫓 Fried puri breads filled with spiced chickpeas, served as a shareable vegetarian main.

Ingredients

• 🌾 300 g wheat flour
• 💧 170 ml warm water, added gradually
• 🫗 1 tablespoon oil for the dough
• 🧂 ½ teaspoon salt for the dough
• 🫘 240 g cooked, drained chickpeas
• 🧅 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 🧄 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 🫚 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• 🟡 ½ teaspoon turmeric and ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 🌿 2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander
• 🌶️ ½ small green chilli, chopped, optional
• 🧂 ½ teaspoon salt for the filling, to taste
• 🫗 800 ml neutral frying oil; absorption varies

Preparation

🥣 Mix flour and salt. Add oil, then gradually pour in warm water while mixing to form soft dough.

👐 Knead for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover and rest for 20 minutes at room temperature.

🫘 Mash chickpeas with a fork, leaving some pieces. The filling should be thick and dry, not wet.

🍳 Heat a teaspoon of oil. Cook onion for 3 minutes; add garlic, ginger, turmeric, cumin and optional chilli.

🌿 Add chickpeas, salt and 2 tablespoons water. Cook 4–5 minutes until liquid evaporates; stir in coriander and cool.

🔪 Divide dough into 8 balls. Flatten each to a 9–10 cm disc and keep covered.

🥄 Divide cooled filling among 4 discs, leaving a clear edge. Cover with the other discs, pinch and seal the edges.

🫓 Gently flatten each filled puri to about 12 cm without letting filling escape. Use very little flour if needed.

🌡️ Heat oil in a stable pan to about 175°C. Fry one puri at a time for 2–3 minutes per side until golden.

🧺 Drain on a rack. Check one puri is hot in the centre, then finish batches and serve promptly.