My 329th recipe, “Poori”, is a nostalgic and comforting breakfast favorite made with a simple whole wheat dough that fries up into beautifully golden, soft and perfectly puffed pooris. This recipe is extra special to me because poori has been one of my favorite breakfast dishes ever since childhood.
Every time we visited a restaurant, I almost always ended up ordering poori. There was something so exciting about seeing those hot, puffed pooris arrive at the table and pairing them with potato masala or kurma. It was simple food, but somehow always felt special.
At home too, poori mornings were memorable because my mom was an absolute expert at making them. Her pooris would puff beautifully every single time, stay soft and never feel overly oily. Back then, I honestly thought making poori was easy… until I started making them on my own.
My first few attempts were nowhere close. Some pooris would absorb too much oil, some would refuse to puff and stay flat, while others would turn hard after cooling. I tried changing dough consistency, rolling thickness and frying techniques before finally understanding that a few small details make all the difference.
Today, after lots of trial, error and practice, this has become my go-to homemade poori recipe that turns out perfectly puffed, soft, airy and less oily while staying soft for longer after frying. It reminds me so much of the pooris my mom used to make growing up. And now, what started as my childhood favorite breakfast has slowly become one of my kids’ favorite breakfasts too, making this recipe even more special for our family.
Serve these hot with potato masala, kurma, chana masala or enjoy them fresh and simple for a breakfast that never goes out of style.
Why You’ll Love This Homemade Poori
• Perfectly puffed and beautifully soft texture
• Absorbs less oil with simple technique adjustments
• Stays soft for longer after frying
• Made with simple pantry staple ingredients
• Beginner-friendly recipe with easy tips
• Kid-approved and family favorite breakfast
• Perfect for weekend breakfasts and special mornings
• Pairs beautifully with potato masala, kurma or chana
• Restaurant-style homemade poori experience
• Comforting childhood recipe that never gets old
Poori
Ingredients
- Whole wheat flour – 2 cups
- Oil – 1 tsp for dough + oil for deep frying
- Salt – to taste
- Water – as needed
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, add the whole wheat flour, salt and 1 tsp oil. Mix well until combined.
- Gradually add water little by little and mix until it comes together into a firm dough. (I used approximately ¾ cup water, but adjust as needed.)
- Knead the dough for a few minutes until smooth. Then gently beat/stretch the dough using a rolling pin to help improve elasticity and texture.
- Knead once again and divide the dough into equal portions. I made approximately 10 dough balls.
- Lightly dust with flour and roll each dough ball into smooth circles. The rolled pooris should be slightly smaller and slightly thicker than chapati. Avoid rolling them too thin.
- Repeat the rolling process for all the dough portions.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in a kadai for deep frying. Once the oil becomes hot, reduce to medium-high heat to avoid burning the pooris. Carefully slide one rolled poori into the hot oil.
- Using the back of the ladle, gently immerse and press the poori until it puffs up completely. Once puffed, flip carefully and cook the other side briefly until done. Remove and drain excess oil.
- Repeat for the remaining pooris and serve hot.
Notes | FAQ
- Do not add too much water while making the dough. A sticky dough may absorb more oil while frying.
- Kneading and stretching the dough well helps create smoother pooris that puff better.
- Roll the pooris slightly thicker than chapati for better puffing and softness.
- Oil temperature is important — oil that is too cool may lead to oily pooris, while very hot oil may brown them too quickly.
- Gently pressing the poori while frying helps encourage even puffing.
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