Puris is an unleavened bread originating from Pakistan.
Puris are unleavened Indian breads, traditionally fried in oil. They are usually served immediately after cooking, while they are still hot and crisp; Puris are usually served in heaps on a plate placed in the middle of the table, allowing diners to serve themselves. This bread is native to northern India and Pakistan, where it is quite common, and Indian restaurants that offer food from these regions often have puris on their menu; a common alternative spelling is “poori”.
Wheat flour is commonly used to make puris.
Like other Indian flatbreads, puri dough is extremely simple and very easy to put together. Traditional doughs are made with whole wheat flour, salt, a little oil, and enough water to hold the dough together. Puris seasoned with various spices are also not uncommon; Ajwan seeds, cayenne pepper, and cumin are common spices used to flavor puris.
Whole wheat flour can be used to make puris.
Once the dough is together, it is briefly kneaded and then left to rest covered. Pieces of dough are then scooped out and rolled into circles. The dough rounds are fried. As the dough fries, it fills with air; an ideal puri looks like a flying saucer, although puris can also be simply foamy in some cases. If the puri gets cold, the air will escape and the puri will collapse, which is why most people try to eat their puri while the buns are still puffy.
Traditional puris are quite small, designed to be used as shells for curries and other dishes. A variant of the puri, the batura, is extremely large and can be used more like a wrap. In either case, the texture of the bread ranges from crunchy to crunchy, and the flavor can be mild or quite spicy, depending on what spices are added to the puris, if any.
The traditional flour used to make puris is atta, which is made from durum wheat. It is also possible to use white flour or flours from other cereals, together with flour mixtures. The dough can be kept refrigerated for several days, for cooks who prefer to make a large batch. As puris use the same basic ingredients as many Indian breads, the dough can also be used in many different ways; for example, larger pieces of dough can be rolled out and stuffed to make parathas.
Because puris are fried, they can harbor pockets of very hot oil and air. Caution is advised when ingesting them, to avoid burning your face and mouth. One way to prevent burns is to split a puri in half before using it to scoop up food, allowing the puri to release hot air so you don’t burn yourself.