Bhature (Deep Fried Puffed Bread)

If you are planning to go to India, don’t forget to explore the local cuisines of all the different regions. You will be surprised to find so many variations of breads, curries and rice dishes. Today I am going to discuss one of my all time favorite deep fried Puffed Breads but that is not Luchi. Today’s dish is Bhature which is always paired with a hot spicy chick pea curry called Chole.

Being born and brought up in Northern India, I have been very lucky to get the best of two cultures and food. I am a Bengali who loves Punjabi food! In fact, I would gladly swap a plate of fish curry for Chole Bhature. This is still one of the dishes I always order at any Indian restaurant.

I have two recipes of Chole on my blog, you can pair this delicious bread with either of them:

• Chole (Chickpea curry)
• Amritsari Chole (Delicious Chick Pea gravy with Fresh Cheese)

I know I have written about Chole Bhature before but when I prepared it a couple days back, I realized that Bhature deserves an article of its own. You can easily get a readymade plate of Chole Bhature but it may not always appeal to you. I faced this problem a few months back while on our Chicago trip. Unfortunately, the Indian restaurant at Devon failed to impress this Chole Bhature fan. The Bhatura was too oily and not at all crispy. The Chole was way too bland. I think the best way to have an authentic plate of Chole Bhature is to prepare it at home.

Since Bhatura is always deep fried I don’t advise preparing it too often. So save this dish for some special days when you are really craving for it. Some people find deep frying stressful, but with a little practice you too will be able to fry perfect Bhaturas.

Remember: 

Add sufficient oil in a big wok otherwise it wont puff up.

Let the oil heat up thoroughly.

Do the ball test by adding a small ball of dough in the oil to see if the oil is hot enough.

Refer to my articles: How to Deep-Fry food with Confidence and

How to check if the oil is hot enough to fry for more tips

Bhatura dough does not need a lot of ingredients. I do add a little whole wheat flour in the All Purpose Flour to control the gluten. This makes rolling a lot easier. For leavening, I use yogurt and baking powder. Salt is added for flavor and you can also add a pinch of fennel or Kalonji to make it look restaurant bought. Knead the dough well and be careful while adding water because the yogurt will make it sticky. Once it looks smooth, cover and let it rest for at least an hour or overnight (max).

Ingredients:

• All Purpose Flour – 1 ½ cup 
• Whole Wheat Flour - ½ cup 
• Yogurt – 3-4 tablespoons 
• Baking Powder - ½ teaspoon 
• Salt - ¼ teaspoon 
• Fennel seeds/ Kalonji - ¼ teaspoon 
• Water - ¼ cup (or as needed)

Knead the dough:

• Take a big bowl. If using a stand mixer, attach the dough hook.
• Combine all the above ingredients of the dough (except the water).
• Start kneading. At first, the dough will be sticky and look dry. Be careful while adding water (add just a spoonful or two at a time if the dough is not coming together). 
• Continue kneading until it all comes together.
• If the dough doesn't seem to be losing its stickiness, sprinkle a little flour and continue kneading. 
• Continue this process till the dough looks shiny and smooth. It should be wet to the touch with an elastic feel. At this time there should not be any lumps in it.
• Test if the dough holds its shape. Shape the dough into a ball and let it drop to your work surface. 
• Cover and let the dough rest for an hour. 

Tips:

• If not using stand mixer, wash your hands before kneading. Kneading requires working the dough between your bare hands, so wash them and dry them well before you begin. 
• Remove your rings and other jewelry that might get caught in the dough, and roll up your sleeves so they don't get sticky. 
• Wear an apron.

Fry the Bhature:

• Divide the dough into 5-6 equal portions. 
• Make balls and roll out into medium sized circles using a rolling pin and board. 
• Heat oil in a wok over medium high heat. 
• Test the temperature of the oil by dropping a tiny ball of the dough into the oil. If there isn’t any bubbling, then the oil isn’t ready. If it’s furiously bubbling and there is smoke, that’s too hot. If the temperature is perfect, the ball will take a dip and immediately float to the surface of the oil and change color. 
• At this perfect temperature, add one Bhatura at a time and fry gently by pressing down with the frying spoon or slotted spoon in a circular motion. 
• Turn over when puffed up and fry the Bhatura till golden brown. 
• Transfer the fried Bhatura on a paper towel or napkin to absorb the excess oil. 
• Serve the Bhatura hot with Chole, Green Chilies and Onion dipped in Red Wine Vinegar. 

Love deep fried puffed breads? Try these next:

• Masala Kachori (Indian Puffed Bread with Spices)
• Luchi – Deep Fried Puffed Bread
• Namkeen Puri (Deep Fried Savory Puffed Bread)
• Koraishuti’r Kochuri (Deep Fried Puffed Bread with Pea Filling)
• Palak Kachori (Deep Fried Bread kneaded with Spinach and spices)