Step 1

Mix the flour and salt until well combined.

Step 2

Add warm water a little at a time and knead until a soft, non-sticky dough is formed.

Step 3

If you are used to making chapatis, remember poori dough needs to be a bit firmer and less moist than that. If you’re making poori for the first time, well, just rely on your gut feeling and see how it goes. Practise makes it perfect!

Step 4

Once the dough is ready, leave it in a bowl and set aside covered for about 10-30 minutes.

Step 5

When ready, knead the dough again and roll it into a  small log between your palms. Pinch off small lime-sized balls and roll into smooth balls.

Step 6

Dust generously with flour and roll each ball into circles of about 1/8″ thickness.

Step 7

Working quickly, roll out all the poori and lay them flat without overlapping on a plate or parchment paper.

Step 8

When you’ve rolled all the poori, heat oil and bring it to almost smoking point.

Step 9

Like a typical Indian cook, I don’t own a cooking thermometer and don’t check the temperature of my oil so, again, go with your gut feeling.

Step 10

The oil should be nice and hot and almost start smoking. Drop in a small piece of dough and check if it quickly sizzles and rises to the surface. That’s your cue to get started on frying the poori.

Step 11

Very gently pick a rolled poori, starting with the one you rolled first, and drop into the hot oil.

Step 12

Work with one poori at a time. Once you have dropped a poori into the oil, use a slotted spoon and move the oil around so it coats the frying poori. This will make it puff up nicely (refer the top right picture below)

Step 13

Once the poori is nicely puffed on one side, flip over so both sides are cooked and have brown spots.

Step 14

Transfer to a plate lined with a kitchen towel and continue frying the remaining poori