Bihari Recipe: Pratibha's Dalpuri

Dalpuri often makes a debut on all kinds of auspicious family occasions in Bihari homes.

It is often made when a newly-married daughter returns to her parental home for the first time after marriage and again when she returns to her in-laws' home, symbolising love, blessings and prosperity.

In many households in Bihar, Dalpuri is also an essential part of the Bhai Dooj (Bhaiya Dooj/Bhratri Dwitiya) celebrations, when sisters prepare special meals for their brothers. It is traditionally served with Spicy Potato or Patal Curry.

Pratibha Kumari Singh guides you how to make it.

Bihari Dalpuri

Servings: 10-12 medium-sized puris

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 2 cups aatta or whole wheat flour
• 2 tbsp mustard oil or ghee
• ½ tsp salt
• Water

For the stuffing:

• 1 cup chana dal or Bengal gram
• 1 tsp jeera or cumin seeds
• 1 tsp sonf or fennel seeds, lightly crushed
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 2-3 green chillies, finely chopped
• ½ tsp red chilly powder
• ½ tsp haldi or turmeric powder
• 1 tsp brown dhania or coriander powder
• ½ tsp garam masala
• 1-2 tbsp mustard oil or ghee
• Salt to taste, about ½ tsp

For deep frying the puris:

• Oil or ghee

Method

For the stuffing:

• Wash the chana dal and soak overnight.
• The next day, boil the dal until just cooked but not mushy.
  Drain the water and dry over low heat for 2-3 minutes and take off heat.
  Cool.
  Coarsely grind the cooked dal in a mixer without adding water.
  Keep aside
• Heat mustard oil or ghee in a frying pan or a kadhai over medium heat.
  Add the cumin, fennel seeds and then the ginger, green chillies.
  Add the ground dal, turmeric, chilly powder, coriander powder, garam masala, salt.
  Cook for 5-7 minutes more until the mixture becomes dry and aromatic.
  Take off heat and cool completely.

For the dough:

• In a bowl (or an aatta gundne ka bartan) mix the flour, salt and oil.
  Add enough water gradually to knead into a soft, smooth dough.
  Rest covered for 20 minutes.
  Divide the dough into equal balls of about 1¼ inch diameter.
  Flatten each one, place 1-2 tbsp of stuffing in the centre, seal the edges and gently roll into a small disc.
  Repeat for all the balls.
• Heat the oil or ghee in a kadhai or deep frying pan over medium heat.
  Fry each Dalpuri until it puffs up and turns crisp and golden on both sides.
  Drain onto a paper towel-lined plate and serve hot immediately with Spicy Potol Curry.

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