Deep-Fried Sweet Potato Whole Wheat Bread SHAKARKAND POORI

A Note from the Chef: This delicious poori can also be made by substituting cooked yams, winter squash, or pumpkin for the sweet potato. The flatbreads should hint of heat and spices. Note that 0.25 tsp (1 ml) of cayenne will yield noticeable heat, while the same amount of paprika is almost indiscernible; vary the red powder accordingly. To begin with, make a stiff dough; it softens considerably upon resting.

Serving Suggestion: This is the ideal bread for an autumn dinner, during peak season for tubers and winter squash. Try it with Succulent Rice and Mung Dal Khichari with Cauliflower and Green Peas, Red Bell Peppers with Roasted Chickpea Flour, and a salad.

• Preparation time: 5–15 minutes
• Dough resting time: 0.5–3 hours
• Cooking time: 0.5 hour
• Makes: 16 pooris

Ingredients

• 1 large sweet potato (8 oz / 230 g), freshly boiled or steamed until tender
• 2 cups sieved chapati flour (18.3 oz / 520 g)
  • Alternatively: 1.33 cups whole wheat flour (5.8 oz / 165 g) mixed with 0.67 cups unbleached white flour (2.8 oz / 80 g) or potato flour
• 0.75 tsp salt
• 0.25 tsp yellow asafetida powder (hing)
• 0.33 tsp turmeric
• 0.5 tbsp ground coriander
• 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper or paprika
• 3 tbsp minced fresh coriander, parsley, dill, or mixed herbs
• 3 tbsp melted ghee or butter
• Ghee or vegetable oil for deep-frying

Important Note on Asafetida: The 0.25 tsp amount applies only to yellow Cobra brand. Reduce any other asafetida by three-fourths (use approximately 0.06 tsp).

Instructions

1. Prepare the Dough

1. While the sweet potato is still warm, peel and mash it. You should have about 1.67 cups (400 ml), loosely packed. Set aside.
2. Combine the flour, salt, asafetida, turmeric, ground coriander, cayenne or paprika, and minced herb in a large mixing bowl. Blend well.
3. Rub the mashed sweet potatoes and 3 tbsp of ghee or oil into the flour until the ingredients are thoroughly blended.
4. At this point, you may need to add dribbles of water or sprinkles of flour until you can form the mass into a ball of firm dough.
5. Knead the dough until it is silky smooth and pliable (about 8 minutes). This can also be done in a food processor.
6. Form the dough into a smooth ball. Rub it with ghee or oil and cover with an inverted bowl.
7. Let the dough rest for 0.5 to 3 hours. If you want to leave it longer, keep it well-sealed in a refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Remove it at least 1 hour before use.

2. Portion and Roll the Pooris

8. Collect the items needed for rolling and cooking: a rolling pin, 2–3 empty baking sheets, a slotted spoon for frying, and a tray lined with double-thick paper towels.
9. Fill a karai, wok, or deep-walled Dutch oven with ghee or oil 3 inches (7.5 cm) deep.
10. Place the rested dough on a clean work surface and knead briefly. The dough should be stiff enough to roll out without using flour; if it has softened too much, knead in flour as necessary.
11. Divide the dough in half and roll one portion into a rope 8 inches (20 cm) long. Cut into 8 pieces and roll each piece into a smooth ball.
12. Place the balls on a plate without letting them touch and cover with a damp cloth. Repeat for the other half of the dough.
13. If you are rolling out all the breads first, do not heat the ghee or oil yet.
14. Remove one ball of dough, keeping the remaining ones covered, and flatten it into a 2-inch (5 cm) patty.
15. Dip a corner of the patty in melted ghee or oil and roll it, exerting firm but even pressure, into a 5-inch (12.5 cm) round.
16. Place it on a cookie sheet and roll out all of the pooris in this way. Do not allow the rounds to touch. Lay them out in one layer on several cookie sheets or another clean, flat surface. Cover with plastic wrap.

3. Fry the Pooris

17. Heat the ghee or oil over moderately high heat until it reaches about 365°F (185°C).
18. Lift up a rolled-out poori and carefully slip it into the hot oil so that it remains flat.
19. The bread will sink to the bottom but quickly bob toward the surface. As it begins to rise, cover it with the back of the slotted spoon and keep it submerged until it puffs into a steam-filled balloon. (Take care not to press the poori harshly; a tear could fill the inside with oil.)
20. When it is lightly browned on the first side, carefully turn it over and brown the second side. The frying time is under 1 minute for both sides.
21. Remove the puffed bread with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
22. Repeat the procedure for all of the pooris, adjusting the heat to maintain the oil at an even temperature.

4. Serving and Storing

23. Serve immediately.
24. To keep the batch warm for up to 0.5 hour: place on paper-towel-lined cookie sheets, overlapping slightly, in a preheated 275°F (135°C) oven.
25. As pooris cool, they deflate. At room temperature, the baasi pooris can be stacked and kept wrapped in a clean tea towel for up to 12 hours.