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    Home » Indian Vegan Recipes

    Poori Aloo – Puffed Bread with Potatoes in Tomato gravy. Vegan Recipe

    Published: Nov 8, 2013 · Modified: Jan 12, 2015 by Richa 20 Comments

    Vegan Poori Aloo - Puffed Bread with Potatoes in Tomato gravy
     

    This one was sitting the drafts since August, when Mom was visiting. She made loads of Indian food when she was here and I would just keep the camera handy on most days to click it before everyone gobbled it up. It was quite difficult to take the hot food away from the hungry fam and then also restrain myself. 😉 Poori Aloo was specially made for my brother who also visited for a week. 

    Poori/Puri is puffed fried bread. The regular Roti/Chapati flat bread dough is made into smaller flat-breads and they are fried to get them to puff. The puffed breads are then served with things like the tangy potato curry on this post, or Chana Masala or sweet and sour chickpeas or any other bean curry. 

    I think my Kadhai (the container in which I deep fry things) comes out of hibernation like 2 or 3 times in an year. Once is usually around fall when the temperature drop and the craving for Pakoras (Onion Fritters) hits. The other time would be around Diwali, if I am planning to make any sweets or snacks that require frying (oh, I just realized I don’t have fried Samosas on the blog. this needs to be corrected, till then please see this recipe – use oil instead of ghee). 
    This year we used the Kadhai twice during Mom’s stay to make these Pooris and also to fry Koftas for Kofta curry (which I have to make again to photograph :)). 

    Every time I do eat deep fried stuff, I do like it but then I realize again how much I do not like standing in the kitchen to deep fry and sometimes the after effects of eating the said delicious stuff. I’d love some baked goodies any day please. Ok fine, I do enjoy fried Samosas once every 3 months. Happy 🙂

    If you missed my massive 70+ recipe Thankgiving round up. see here. 

    Random News to use. 

    If you are in Washington state, you can celebrate Thanksgiving “with” the bird at Pasados Safe haven. Feed the turkeys and celebrate with a Vegan meal! 
    Virtual Vegan Potluck is coming up on November 16. Sign up to join hundreds of bloggers on this virtual potluck!
    This amazing Collection of photographs of animals photographed as if they were humans.

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    Blackfish – exposing the realities of Seaworld.
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    Steps:
    Spices mise en place 



    Roast the spices in oil, then add tomato mixture. Cook on low-medium until well roasted.



    Meanwhile Mom chops up the boiled potatoes





    The tomato mixture is now well cooked. You can see it leaving the edges easily. 



    Mix in the potatoes, salt. 



    Add water and cover and cook.



    Meanwhile, roll out the dough into 4-5 inch flat breads and deep fry on medium heat. Mom frying them up in the Kadhai. 



    Serve hot!



    Poori Aloo – Puffed Bread with Potatoes in Tomato gravy
    Allergen Information: Free of Dairy, egg, corn, soy, yeast, nut. Potato curry is free of gluten.

    Serves 6-8
    Ingredients:
    Poori: Puffed Bread (Makes 20-25)
    4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
    2 cups unbleached white flour
    1 teaspoon salt
    2 Tablespoons Oil
    3 cups water

    Potato curry: 
    Chaunk/Tadka:
    2 teaspoons Oil
    1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
    1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
    1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds(methi)
    1-2 teaspoons coriander powder
    8-10 curry leaves
    Curry:
    6 medium potatoes boiled and cubed
    8 tomatoes chopped
    8 cloves of garlic
    1 inch ginger
    3 green chilies
    3-4 sprigs of cilantro
    1.25 teaspoons salt or to taste

    Method:
    Poori:
    Mix all the dry ingredients. Add water and oil and knead into a smooth soft dough(5-7 minutes).
    Use more water or flour if needed. Cover dough with a towel and let sit for 10 minutes. Heat oil in a deep container on medium heat. Then knead for a minute, make small balls (ping pong size). Roll the balls out to a 4-5 inch (2mm thick) flatbread. Add to hot oil and press down gently with a frying ladle. Press for a second and release. Repeat for 2-3 times until the poori has puffed up. Let cook for a minute. Then flip and cook the other side for a minute. Remove from the oil, drain and serve.

    Potato in tomato gravy:
    In a blender, add tomatoes, ginger, garlic, chilies and cilantro. Blend into a smooth puree and keep ready.
    In a large deep pan, make the Chaunk, add oil and heat on medium heat.
    Add the seeds and let them cook until they start to sputter.
    Add curry leaves, coriander powder and turmeric. Mix for a few seconds.
    Add tomato puree, mix well. Cook on low-medium heat, partially covered heat, for 15-20 minutes until the oil starts to glisten on the masala mixture. Add cubed potatoes, salt and mix well. Cook for 5 minutes.
    Add 3-3.5 cups of water and mix well. Cook covered on low heat for 15 minutes.
    Taste and adjust salt and spice. Serve hot topped with chopped cilantro.
    Serve with fresh Pooris or other flat-bread like Naan.

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    1. Brandi

      November 13, 2020 at 6:31 pm

      Can you sub ground fenugreek for the seeds? Just checked at my local spice store and they only have ground.

      Reply
      • Richa

        November 13, 2020 at 8:28 pm

        Yes use 1/4 amount as seeds are a stronger flavor than leaves

        Reply
    2. Juliana

      May 11, 2016 at 9:00 am

      This looks so good! I don’t know if I can find fresh curry leaves though. Is there any thing you would suggest using instead? Tomato gravies make my heart sing!

      Reply
      • Richa

        May 11, 2016 at 9:31 am

        You can find fresh curry leaves in an indian store. You can keep them frozen for months and use frozen instead. The flavor profile is difficult to substitute. A bit of lemon and coriander powder should work.

        Reply
    3. Corrin Radd

      May 20, 2014 at 1:23 am

      I was a little scared to try fried breads (this was my first time making pooris, and my first time eating them since train stops during my summer in India years ago) but they were easy and turned out great. I used all white whole wheat flour and added a bit of kale to the stew.

      Reply
      • Richa

        May 20, 2014 at 7:03 am

        awesome! you never seem to amaze me Corrin. I make pooris probably twice in the year. All that rolling and frying only for very special occasions 🙂

        Reply
    4. Kristina

      February 24, 2014 at 5:56 pm

      This is good. When I made this, it had less depth of flavor than I was imaging, but I think that’s entirely my fault. I ran out of curry leaves. I was also out of green chilies so I substituted a roasted jalapeno hot sauce that I’ve been trying to get rid of. Needless to say, it ended up tasting like said hot sauce. Still, very good with pooris. Richa, if you see me posting on EVERYTHING it’s because my boyfriend bought a masala dabba for my Valentine’s Day gift and now I’m on an adventure to use my new spices. 😀

      Reply
    5. Joey

      November 15, 2013 at 7:45 pm

      I’m too lazy to deep fry too often (it’s the clearing up that gets me!) but if anything was to get me back in the kitchen with a bottle of oil, it would be some pooris!

      Reply
    6. veganmiam.com

      November 13, 2013 at 3:37 pm

      It is so hard to photograph everything while it is still hot – I love Puri, yum, bookmarking this recipe! The potato curry looks delicious with the cilantro garnish.

      Reply
    7. Glue and Glitter

      November 11, 2013 at 6:52 pm

      I love the idea of Thanksgiving With the Bird! Who says you need to eat a turkey to have one at Thanksgiving supper?

      Reply
      • Richa

        November 12, 2013 at 10:36 pm

        i love the idea too. i am hoping we can make it to the event

        Reply
    8. Cadry

      November 09, 2013 at 3:12 pm

      Your pooris look so pretty! I don’t make fried things very often, but it makes it that much more fun for me when I do. I can only imagine how wonderful your house must have smelled when your mom was visiting! I think I would have been immediately hungry just stepping inside the front door!

      Reply
      • Richa

        November 12, 2013 at 10:36 pm

        yup, there was a whole lot of cooking going on and always some or the other indian spice smell in the house.:)

        Reply
    9. Caitlin

      November 08, 2013 at 8:39 pm

      i haven’t eaten fried foods in forever, but recently i had some falafel from my favorite restaurant and it was soooo good. but then i didn’t feel too great afterwards. so i completely understand your love/hate feelings toward fried stuffs.

      these pooris actually look really light and airy, which i’m sure makes them more delicious AND tolerable on your tummy.

      Reply
      • Richa

        November 12, 2013 at 10:35 pm

        Thats the problem, they look light and so i end up eating more and then regret later 🙂

        Reply

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