Yes, you read it right. I'm going to share my recipe for fortified poori. What does fortify mean? It means to add one or more ingredients to (a food) to increase its nutritional content. Those who have been following my posts for the past few days would know by this time that I have become a fan of The Sneaky Chef (which by the way is on sale on Amazon and I have ordered my copy yesterday). I'm finding ways to sneak healthy ingredients in my son's diet.
I have been preparing beans and lentil chapathis for long time now. But until recently it did not occur to me to follow the same method with puri also. Actually the reason is, in the past 5 years I had made pooris only once because my husband is a diet freak and I'm addicted to puris. He doesn't eat more than half a poori and I cannot limit my intake. Recently only I introduced poori to my son and guess whose gene he has inherited? Unfortunately mine! The book talks about adding white bean puree and chickpeas puree in some recipes. So I thought why not follow this in our poori recipe also.
Since I have decided to feed my son something deep fried in oil, I might as well make it a little more healthy by adding some protein and fiber rich beans. First I tried it with chickpeas and then with white beans (cannellini). Both came out very well and the pooris did not taste any different. The key here is the color of the beans. They both blend with the color of the whole wheat flour, so there is no change in the color of the pooris also, unlike the spinach pooris and tomato pooris. But I'm guessing here that kids might be interested in colorful pooris also. Usually my son finds out any different taste, but he couldn't get it this time, he was as usual eating one poori after the other, asking for more.
I also make it a point to prepare pooris only twice a month and I make it only for him. I have a very very small frying pan, which my mother got from India. It holds very little oil, so I cannot make big pooris. I roll out the dough into one big circle and cut shapes using cookie cutters. If I use a big frying pan, I'll be tempted to fry pooris for myself. It will also need more oil, than I would be frying some papads and vadams too, which I would end up eating all by myself. So this small pan is a real savior.
Recipe
Fiber & Protein Fortified Poori Recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ Cup White Beans Or Chickpeas (I Used Canned Beans)
- ½ Cup Whole Wheat Flour
- 1 Teaspoon Semolina/Rava
- A Pinch Salt
- As Required Water
- As Needed OilFor Frying (I Used Sunflower Oil)
Instructions
- If using canned beans, drain and rinse the beans first. If using dry beans, soak the beans overnight and cook it.
- Heat the oil in a frying pan.
- Puree the beans with little water. I used Magic Bullet's small jar. The beans should be blended thoroughly without any lumps.
- Now mix the puree with the other ingredients. Add water little by little because the dough for poori should be firm, otherwise the pooris will absorb way too much oil.
- By this time the oil should be hot enough.
- Since I make pooris in a small frying pan, I divide the dough into 2 balls. Roll out each ball into a big thin circle and then cut out different shapes using small cookie cutters and fry them one by one.
- If using a bigger pan for deep frying, you may choose to divide the dough into 6-8 medium size balls. Roll out each into a thin circle and then fry it one by one.
My Notes
- The pooris puffed up nicely. It looked exactly like pani pooris, but it did flatten after sometime. I don't know if bigger size pooris would also puff up like this because we have added beans.
- The first time I made the chickpeas poori, my blender was not working. So I had to mash it with my hands and potato masher. So it did have some tiny unmashed beans and the poori became a little red in those areas. Otherwise both the pooris were white in color. So you may notice small red spots in the first picture. But this did not stop my son from eating it! The second picture is the white beans poori.
- ¼ cup of chickpeas has 3.5gms fiber and 3gms protein. ¼ cup of white beans has 3gms fiber and 3.5gms protein. Also both the beans have considerable amount of Iron and little Calcium too. If I had prepared poori with ½ cup of whole wheat flour alone, my son would have got only 4gms fiber and 5gms protein. Now that I have added some beans he gets additional 6.5gms nutrition.
- If there is a "Five and Below" store near your place look for the book Deceptively Delecious by Jessica Seinfeld. This one is also similar to the Sneaky Chef with lots of recipes to include healthy foods in kids' meals. I got it for $5 in that store, the retail price of which is $20. Both the books have vegetarian and meat dishes, but I don't mind it because it's the methods which I'm interested and the photos are good and we can also get inspired to create our own sneaky recipes. Initially I thought of going to the copy place to make copies of necessary recipes from The Sneaky Chef and return the book to the library. But when I saw the price ($7.99 and plus free shipping if you are ordering something else, which I was going to anyway) I had to order it, because it's way more cheaper than driving to the copy place, spending another 15-20 minutes there and money.)
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Aparna says
Have you tried these with Chickpea Flour. wondering if it will come out as good ?
Thanks
Madhuram says
Chickpea flour doesn't have gluten, Aparna, so it will not fluff up like regular pooris.
NSG says
wow! chickpeas/beans puri sounds good. Will try them soon.
Sometimes i add spinach, silken tofu when preparing dough for puris/chapatis.
Either or both can be used.
Spinach gives beautiful green color along with fibre and iron.
Tofu gives loads of protein. You wont even realize you are using tofu. I feel tofu makes chapatis softer. Reduce water to minimum when using tofu.
Madhuram says
I too add tofu/spinach while preparing chapathis but haven't tried it in puris. You could also add mashed avocados while preparing chapathi dough; it gives very soft chapathis.
DP says
They are so cute!!!
PREETI says
Do you know how long we can store them for?
I'm not sure Preeti, because I make it just enough for the day.
PREETI says
They are out of this world and so healthy. I just made a batch of pooris and I am eating my 5th one. Yummy.
Thanks a lot
You're welcome Preeti and thank you for taking the time to comment here.
Namratha says
You are awesome Madhu, I have got to tell my mom about this...brilliant recipe 🙂
Thank you very much Namratha.
vanamala says
So sweet start poori..remeber my childhood days...lovely recipe 🙂
TBC says
Madhuram- glad the dosa recipe worked for you. 😀
About this so-called chef you mentioned- he has been known to lift content from different food blogs without asking/giving credit where it is due. Indira's Mahanandi was one of the first blogs to report this. There have been some instances recently too (I forget the names of the blogs now).
Needless to say, I have no respect for him or what he does!
Got to go now... will catch up with u later...
Wow! I was not aware of this. Actually I saw the link for rava dosa in Asha's blog. She had prepared it in that style and I followed from there to his website.
Sharmi says
this is a very healthy idea. Today I had to make pooris just because my son has to eat something. He is a choosy eater too. how did you make that star shape? looks so cute. can I use cookie cutters to make pooris?
Thanks Sharmi. I use cookie cutters to make poori and chapathis. Gingerbread man, heart, christmas tree shape everything comes out well with the poori.
Sunshinemom says
Love the star, and the idea of fortified pooris 😛
It is ages since I made pooris:)! I make pooris only when my daughter or son crib, and I remember making pooris in different shapes when they were kids - just to get them to eat it!
Bharti says
Love the fortified poori idea. But honestly I love the star shaped poori even more! It's SO cute! My hubby doesn't touch puris as well..so I must have made them like twice in the last 10 years! I get my fill of these when I visit friends homes! So glad you got a chance to try out the pink pasta and thanks for your kind comments.
Me too Bharti and I also go to the south indian restaurant just for pooris and vadais.
PG says
I forgot to mention, the star looks so good! a very good idea. never thought about it with puris.
PG says
that's a wonderful idea. I got this idea from Jugalbandi actually, to add soaked daals into poori and i modified it to add ground daal powder to make it easier for me.
I never made pooris in winters, but i broke this rule a couple of days, also for my son, and of course the house was smelling like anything. Hubby makes a faoce when he hears about them too. But, he eats them still and likes them too! 😀
I could eat pooris every day, I love them too.
Usha says
Very clever and creative....I avoid making puris for the same reason as you, I would end up having more than I should...but if I do make them I will try them your way ! Loved the star shaped puri....Glad you tried the instant oats idli and liked it,loved your idea of using cracked wheat in it 🙂
Sri says
Hi Madhu,
Thanks for replying to my posting on the stuffed buns made from pizza base. Like I mentioned, I am new to cooking because I just finisht university and have an apt of my own for the first time. So am sort of excited and have been hunting online for simple recipes. I stumbled upon this page and oh boy, its beeen an amazing find 🙂
My kitchen doesnt come equipped with a grill so am going to go looking for one.. I cant wait to try out some of your recipes! What exactly is a Zucchini btw? Does it have a hindi/Tamil name?
You're welcome Sri. I don't think there is a tamil name for Zucchini. I googled also and didn't get any.
tbc says
The star shaped poori is so cute! Healthy pooris- seems like such an oxymoron but this is very creative indeed. 😀
anudivya says
Sorry Madhuram forgot to mention that... It yielded about 10-12 medium-large sized naans.
Sukanya Ramkumr says
Hi... These are so cute. Look so good. Nice recipe. 😛 Loved the star shape one.
anudivya says
Wow star shaped pooris that are relatively good for you! I was wondering how on earth did you put pooris and healthy in a sentence and I am in awe!
Next time I make pooris, I am gonna try and include all the healthy stuff I can.
Vaidehi says
wow.. so cute looking puris... really, kids would love them.
chakali
Madhu / Ruchii says
Love the star poori, it a good thing to add some protein to pooris. I can't wait to try them ...thanks for the recipe...
Priya says
I love that star poori...sure kids will like this, great one madhu...nice idea of adding beans puree n making as pooris...
Cham says
When we were kids i used to ask mom to make cat, bird, eleph for dosa, my mom does it in some shape and give us. I think that should work for ur son also! Seeing ur star poori that is my flashback!
You re a sweet mom!
Soma says
I love love love that star. My kids are going to love this!! great recipe. My younger one loves puri (she calls them "no spot rotis" ) ...next thime its going to be something like this!
Kalai says
Nice idea to add protein to puris. Love the star shape! 🙂
RedChillies says
The star puri looks like a star. Talking about temptation, I was thinking about it too. Before my marriage I used to be very moderate in my intake. Now that I am in charge of the kitchen I am loosing it. I cannot resist it.
As always,loved the sheaky ideas.
Happy Cook says
This is really a healthy way of making them.
I love your star porries, i am sure your son loved them too.
Aparna says
This is an intersting way of making pooris, though I really admire you for resisting eating them. I'd fry some more and eat them.:)
Love the star shaped one.
Sweatha says
Love the combo.The recipe is healthy and very new to me.Love the star shaped puri.Your son must have enjoyed this.
Purnima says
Madhuram, wonderful way to 'Sneak' ! 😀 Btw..try kneading with soy milk, it yields good results..loss of protiens on frying is still a suspense...:D The star shape puri must hv been gobbled first!
Anjali Damerla says
Oops!! saw the chapati recipe. Looks like you ARE using beans in chapati. 🙂 I must try this.
Thanks Madhu.
Anjali Damerla says
Aha!! Why didn't I think of this ?? 🙂
Very creative, Madhu. Visiting after a long time and was surprised to see all the great ideas that you had in your recent posts.
BTW, I wonder, does the frying reduce the protein in these pooris? Just curious. Have you tried making roti with this combination?
Hi Anjali! Belive me or not , this morning I was wondering what happened to you! I'm not sure about the loss of protein while frying. I have tried rotis with pureed chickpeas and green peas.
SS says
You are a star mom 🙂
I'm flattered SS. This keeps me going, thanks.