Spicy Mushy Pea Pooris & Paranthas (gluten-free option for the paranthas)
Makes: 12 pooris or 8 paranthas
Preparation time: 15 minutes.
Rolling out/frying time: approx. 30 minutes
Pooris suitable for: Vegetarians and vegans
Paranthas suitable for: Vegetarians, vegans and those on a gluten-free diet)
Serve piping hot with any pickle, yoghurt and a curry of your choice.
Ingredients:
Pea Filling:
100g of frozen peas (defrosted)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
½ teaspoon of cumin seeds
1 clove garlic, crushed
1½ - 2 green chillies roughly chopped
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon garam masala
Dough:
200g chapati flour (the paranthas can be made with gluten-free chapati flour from Eurostar Foods)
60 -80ml water
Extra chapati flour for dusting
Vegetable oil for deep fat frying (pooris) or ghee or oil for frying the paranthas
Method:
Pea Filling:
Heat the oil in a small frying pan then add the cumin seeds and allow them to splutter.
add the garlic and chillies, swirl to combine and cook or low to medium heat for a minute.
Add all the dry spices, combine and allow to cook for a further minute.
Add the thawed peas, combine and allow them to heat through for about 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool.
Once cool, blitz in a blender to make a ‘mushy’ pea like mixture.
Dough:
With the flour in a bowl add the spicy mushy pea mixture.
Combine together and mix with the fingertips until a crumb like mixture forms.
Add the water gradually and combine to form a medium to firm dough.
Knead the dough for a couple of minutes and set aside until ready to make the pooris or paranthas or both.
Pooris:
Place the oil in a karahi/deep fat fryer heat at medium to high heat (closer to medium heat)
Divide the dough into 12 equal portions and form 12 individual dough balls.
Using one portion roll it out into a circle approximately 4.5 - 5 inches in diameter. This will be quite thin.
Test the oil is hot enough for frying by dropping a very small piece of dough (size of a matchstick head) into the oil. If it rises immediately the oil is ready.
Slide the rolled out poori gently into the oil and let it rise.
As it begins to rise, gently pat it with the back of a slotted skimmer until the poori starts to puff up and then pat gently on the parts that begin to puff up.
Once the poori has puffed up turn it over, pressing gently on the cooked side so as to cook the underneath including its’ circumference for a couple of minutes.
Turn the poori back over so its original side is now back in the oil, press gently and fry for a further minute or so. Remove from the oil, drain and place on an absorbent kitchen towel lined plate or tray.
Repeat points 2 and then from 4 - 7 above until all the pooris have been made.
Serve hot.
Paranthas:
Place the tawa or frying pan on the hob and heat on a medium to hot setting
Knead the dough once again for a couple of minutes then divide into eight portions.
Starting with one portion, knead this again using your hands to form a ball and then flatten slightly with your fingertips.
Dust each side and roll out into a circular parantha approximately 6 inches in diameter using additional flour to dust where needed
Place the parantha on the hot tawa and allow it to cook partially on one side for a couple of minutes. Turn the parantha over and allow this (raw) side to cook for a few minutes checking a couple of times and pressing lightly around the edges if needed to ensure this side is fully cooked.
Turn the parantha back over once this side is fully cooked and coat the cooked side of the parantha with some ghee (c. ¼ teaspoon) or vegetable oil. Turn the parantha over once again and repeat the ghee/oil coating process on this other side. Turn over once more and gently cook for a further 30 seconds or so. The parantha should be crisp on both sides yet soft in the middle
Remove from the tawa and place the parantha in-between a folded clean tea towel on a warm plate.
Repeat steps 3 to 7 until all paranthas have been made.
Serve hot