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Bangladeshi dal puri
Lentil-filled puri
ডাল পুরি (dal puri): Dhaka's tea-stall puri with a spiced red-lentil filling
Wherever there is a tea stall in Dhaka, from the Nilkhet book market to the gates of the university, there is a wok of oil and a man rolling dal puri at speed, three or four at a time. These are thin and flat, not puffed, with a seam of dry, cumin-scented red lentil filling that you can see through the blistered skin; they are eaten straight from the wok with a cup of sweet tea, a spoon of tamarind chutney or just a pinch of raw onion and green chilli. Students treat them as lunch and office workers as an afternoon snack. Where people usually go wrong is a filling that is too wet, which bursts through the dough and spits in the oil. Chef's tip: cook the lentils just until they crush, then dry the mash in the pan with the onions until it holds together like crumbly dough.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the filling
- 4 oz red lentils (masoor dal)rinsed and soaked 20 minutes
- 1 /4 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tbsp mustard or vegetable oil
- 1 /2 tsp nigella seeds (kalo jeera)
- 1 small onionfinely chopped
- 2 green chilliesfinely chopped
- 1 tsp ground roasted cumin
- 3 /4 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander (optional)finely chopped
For the dough
- 9 oz plain flourplus extra for dusting
- 1 /2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- ½ cup waterwarm, roughly
To fry
- 2 cups vegetable oilfor deep frying
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Rub 2 tbsp vegetable oil and 1 /2 tsp salt into 9 oz plain flour, then add ½ cup water a little at a time and knead to a soft, smooth dough; cover and rest while you make the filling.
2 minStep 2: Drain 4 oz red lentils (masoor dal) and simmer it with 1 /4 tsp ground turmeric in 300 ml water over a medium heat for 8–10 minutes, until a lentil crushes easily but is not yet soup; drain off any water left.
10 minStep 3: Heat 1 tbsp mustard or vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium heat, add 1 /2 tsp nigella seeds (kalo jeera) and, when it sizzles, 1 small onion and 2 green chillies; fry for 4 minutes until soft.
2 minStep 4: Add the lentils, 1 tsp ground roasted cumin and 3 /4 tsp salt and mash and stir over a medium heat for 4–5 minutes until the mixture is dry and comes together. Stir in 2 tbsp fresh coriander, cool, and divide into 12 small balls.
5 minStep 5: Divide the dough into 12 balls, flatten one into a cup, put a ball of filling inside, pinch it closed and roll gently on a lightly floured surface to a 12 cm round; repeat.
6 minStep 6: Heat 2 cups vegetable oil in a wok to 350°F, or until a pinch of dough rises at once.
3 minStep 7: Fry the puris two or three at a time for about 1 minute a side, pressing gently with a slotted spoon, until blistered and golden. Drain on kitchen paper and serve hot.
12 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 12 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does bangladeshi dal puri take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of red lentils (masoor dal)?
- Yellow split peas (soak 2 hours and cook longer).
- What can I use instead of ground turmeric?
- Leave it out (it mostly adds colour).
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