Pooris are small breads typically served for breakfast. They accompany Thali among the Gujaratis and are the common bread throughout the Bengal region.

Poori is cooked in oil, completely immerged so that it puffs up.

If you wish to make stuffed poori, the filling should be as dry as possible so that the dough doesn’t burst during frying.

Various versions of stuffed poori:

• with spinach (palak poori)
• with potato (aloo poori)
• pani poori with tamarind juice, made small enough that they can be eaten in one bite so that the juice doesn’t escape when you bite into them
  

Making the basic dough

1. combine the flour and water to form a dough; add the oil or ghee and desired seasonings;
2. knead for 8 minutes to form a smooth elastic dough;
3. cover with a damp cloth and let rise for 1 hour at room temperature.

Finishing and cooking

1. divide the dough into 12 balls; dust your work surface with a little flour; place each ball of dough on the work surface and sprinkle with a little flour;
2. roll each ball out gently to form a circle about 12.5 cm (5”) in diameter – if the dough sticks to the rolling pin, add a little flour, using as little as possible, otherwise the bread will be too dry;
3. place each poori into a heavy skillet in which you have heated enough ghee or oil to immerse the poori, otherwise it will not puff up; cook over high heat, turning once to fry the other side. Serve hot.