Poori Bhaji | Marathi style puri with Batata chi bhaaji

Nothing beats the old fashioned Puri and Potato bhaji for a snack and breakfast. Nowadays kids are more addicted to pizzas & burgers.

But I guess as a KID your mom must have surely given you this puri bhaji in your picnic tiffin(khaucha dabba).

 I am sure your taste buds are vining for eating puri and potato bhaji just by looking at the picture. Ok.. here is a simple recipe you can make it home.

normally batata bhaji is made along with poori during ganpati festival .if making for naivadya skip onion & garlic ginger paste ,

Puri:

Ingredients

• 2 cups wheat flour
• 3/4 cup warm water,
• A pinch of salt,
• 1 tsp semolina (rava)
• 1 tsp sugar,
• 2-3 tsp oil,
• Enough oil for frying.

Method

1. Combine wheat flour, salt, sugar ,rava,and water to form a dough stiffer than the regular chapati dough.
2. Cover the dough with a wet cloth for about 20-25 min.
3. Knead the dough again and make small round balls of 1/2 inch diameter.
4. Heat enough oil in a deep pan or kadai. When oil is heated, turn the heat to medium.
5. Keep aside 2 tsp of the heated oil. Rub a little oil on the ball for easier rolling. Roll out the ball into 3 inch diameter circle. You don't need flour for rolling because puris are smaller than chapatis or phulkas, hence, easier to roll. Roll in such a way that the area at the edge is thinner that the middle part.
6. Gently slide the circle into the hot oil. It starts swelling up in the oil. Using the turner, keep tossing the hot oil from the kadai on top of the puri to help it puff up. Turn over and fry the other side. When puri is golden brown from both the sides (Make sure that the edge is also well done) , remove and drain on a tissue paper.
7. Serve hot with Potato Bhaaji or just with any curry.

Variations:

Adding sugar into the dough is optional. However, sugar helps puris stay puffed for long.

Boiled Potato Bhaaji /Ukadalelya Batatyachi Bhaaji / BOILED BATATA SABJI

Ingredients

• 6-8 medium sized potatoes,
• 1 small piece ginger(optional) ,
• 4 green chilies,
• coriander leaves,
• 10-12 nos. curry leaves,
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds,
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder,
• 1/2 teaspoon asafoetida,
• 1 tablespoon fresh coconut,(optional)
• salt,
• and sugar (if you like),
• 6-7 cashewnuts (kaju) {optional}
• 3 tbsp oil

Method

1. Wash potatoes and pressure cook or boil them until just tender but not mushy. Peel and chop them into small cubes. Rub some salt  to the cubes.
2. Chop chilies into fine pieces or if you are using ginger, make a paste of ginger and green chilies.
3. Heat the oil in a kadai/wok. Add mustard seeds and as they crackle, add asafoetida and turmeric powder. Add curry leaves, chilies and then add diced potatoes and toss gently until all the potatoes are coated well with oil. Do not add water in this recipe.
4. Cover for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and stir.
5. Garnish with cilantro and serve with chapati, puri, phulka or just dal-rice.

Variations:

1) Along with ginger and chilies, add crushed garlic.
2) Substitute cumin seeds for the mustard (or you can use both) at the time of tempering.

3) Chop 1 medium onion into thin vertical pieces and add it just before the potatoes. let the onions become translucent, then add the potatoes. This variation tastes delicious.