Soft & Puffed golden Bhatura are a must with Chole and a perfect pocketed fried bread to scoop up your favorite curry!
Bhatura (singular) or Bhature (plural) is a soft and puffed Indian “bread” that is fried to a golden brown color. When frying it puffs up as it cooks, when you break it apart you get an airy pocket inside perfect for scooping up the curry. Bhaturas are lightly crispy golden outside with a soft interior. It is quintessential pairing with the famous Panjabi Chole – Chola Bhatura is a common pairing on many restaurant menus.
Indian Cuisine has a few different types of breads like roti, chapati, naan, paratha, Bhatura, Poori…etc. Bhatura is a great treat for special occasions. Originating in Northern India, Bhaturas are very similar to poori’s except they are made of a leavened dough. Dough is made of white flour and includes yogurt which makes it similar to sour dough. For levening, baking soda, baking powder, yeast can be used although Eno makes it react faster.
Although most commonly enjoyed with Chole (chana), Bhaturas can be enjoyed dipped simply in pickle and yogurt. Newer variations also include stuffed versions to make a more complete meal. it can be eaten at any meal, breakfast, lunch or dinner. Because it is fried, it is considered a treat and not a daily thing.
Here is a simple basic recipe of traditional Bhatura for beginners. I recommend making them a medium size so they are manageable. Once you have mastered it then you can make them bigger just like the restaurant ones!
Makes 12 medium sized Bhaturas (6″ diameter)
Level of Difficulty: Medium
Time: 40 mins
Ingredients for the dough:
- 2 cups all purpose white flour
- 2 tbsp sooji (semolina)
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp eno powder (this is what makes it instant). See tips below for another option incase you don’t have Eno.
- 1/4 tsp of salt
- 1/4 cup plain yogurt
- 3/4 cup water, as needed to bind into soft dough
- Oil for frying
Method:
- First make the dough: Mix together all the dough ingredients and knead for 5 mins. It will be a soft sticky dough. Drizzle the top with oil, cover with towel and set aside for 10 mins to rest.
- When ready to make them, turn on a small 8″ frying pan with oil on medium heat. fill only half way up the edge of the pan.
- Divide the dough into 12 equal portions. Add oil to your hands, roll each out into a round ball with no cracks.
- Add oil to the surface, roll the ball into a round circle about 6″ in diameter and less than 1/8″ thickness. Do not use any dry flour for dusting, use oil instead. The dough will be stretchy, don’t worry, keep rolling.
- Add a small pinch of dough to the oil to check if it is ready. Once you see the dough sizzling, gently add the bhatura to the hot oil. Oil must be hot. Using a ladle add hot oil on top till it puffs up, turn and cook other side. Both sides should be lightly golden not too dark browned. 1-2 mins of each side max.
- Pull out onto paper towel to drain
- Serve hot.
Tips:
- Eno is used to make this an instant recipe. If you don’t have Eno you can use 1/4 tsp of baking soda and 1/4 tsp of baking flour. Rest dough for 2 hours. Rest of the process is the same. To avoid the resting of 2 hours, Eno speeds it up.
- Be sure not to use any dry flour when rolling out.
- Be sure the dough balls are smooth with no cracks. The cracks prevent them from puffing up.
- Be sure to add the hot oil on top which helps them puff up.
- If they are not puffing up, they may be too thick. Try rolling them thinner.
- Because of the stretchy dough it can be hard sometimes to make them perfectly round, don’t worry you can roll them in ovals instead!