Make Bhatura

Bhatura is a fluffy, deep-fried yogurt bread native to North India. You can make the bread with or without yeast, and if you want to try something even more unique, you could make aloo bhatura, which contains boiled potatoes.

Ingredients

Bhatura with Yeast[1]

Makes 8 servings

  • 2 cups (500 ml) all-purpose flour or maida
  • 4 Tbsp (60 ml) sooji (semolina flour)
  • 2 tsp (10 ml) active dry yeast
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) sugar
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) salt
  • 3 Tbsp (15 ml) plain yogurt
  • 2 Tbsp (10 ml) cooking oil
  • 3/4 cup (180 ml) lukewarm water
  • Additional cooking oil, for frying
  • Additional 1/4 cup (60 ml) flour, for rolling

Bhatura without Yeast[2]

Makes 9 servings

  • 2 cups (500 ml) all-purpose flour or maida
  • 3/4 cup (180 ml) plain curd or plain yogurt
  • 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) baking powder
  • 1/8 tsp (0.6 ml) baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp (1.25 ml) salt
  • 2 cups (500 ml) cooking oil, for frying

Aloo Bhatura[3]

Makes 8 to 10 servings

  • 2 cups (500 ml) all-purpose flour or maida
  • 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) salt
  • 2 to 3 potatoes, boiled and peeled
  • 1/3 cup (75 ml) plain yogurt or curd
  • Water, as needed
  • 1 Tbsp (15 ml) cooking oil
  • Additional cooking oil, for frying

Steps

Bhatura with Yeast

  1. Dissolve the yeast. Mix the active dry yeast into the warm water. Allow it to sit for 10 minutes, or until you see a frothy layer develop on top.
  2. Combine most of the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, mix together the maida, sooji, sugar, and salt until evenly dispersed.
    • For best results, use clean hands or a wooden mixing spoon.
  3. Add the remaining dough ingredients. Mix the yeast solution, oil, and yogurt into the combined flour. Stir with a mixing spoon or with clean hands until a soft dough forms.
    • The dough should hold together well. If the dough seems too dry or crumbly, add more water 1 Tbsp (15 ml) at a time to help hold it together.
  4. Let the dough rise. Cover it and place it in a warm location for 3 to 4 hours. During this time, the dough should double in volume.
    • Cover the bowl of dough with plastic wrap, an inverted plate, or a moist dish towel.
  5. Divide the dough. Punch the dough down and knead it several times. Tear it into 8 equally portioned pieces and shape them into balls.
    • Note that you may need to dust your hands with a little additional flour to prevent the dough from sticking to your skin.
  6. Roll the balls into circles. Dust each ball of dough with additional flour and lay them out onto the counter. Flatten them into circles using a rolling pin.
    • Each circle should be about 6 inches (15 cm) in diameter or less. The circles should also be no thinner than 1/2 inch (1.25 cm).
  7. Heat the cooking oil. Pour 1.5 inches (3.75 cm) of oil into a deep frying pan with a heavy bottom. Heat it on high over the stove until the oil reaches a temperature of 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius).
    • You can check the temperature using a candy or oil thermometer.
    • If you do not have a thermometer, you can make sure that the oil is hot enough by dropping in a small piece of dough. It should immediately begin to sizzle and float to the top, taking on a light color.
    • The oil must be sufficiently hot before you begin. If not, the finished bread will be greasy and heavy.
  8. Fry each bhatura one at a time. Drop one into the hot oil. Press it gently with a skimmer or slotted spoon until it puffs up like a ball. Use the spoon to turn the bhatura to the other side, and cook it until both sides turn a light golden-brown.
    • Monitor the temperature of the oil as you fry the bread. It will naturally drop as you add the dough and rise as the pan sits empty. Manipulate the temperature control settings on your stove to maintain as even a temperature as possible throughout the entire process.
  9. Drain and serve. Remove the finished bhatura from the oil using a slotted spoon. Place the bread on a plate lined with paper towels and allow the excess oil to drain off. Serve while still hot and fresh.
    • Serve the bhatura with Cook-Chole, a dish made from chickpeas, or channa.

Bhatura without Yeast

  1. Combine the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, mix together the maida, baking powder, salt, and baking soda until evenly combined.
    • Use clean hands or a wooden mixing spoon for best results.
  2. Add the yogurt. Gradually add the yogurt or curd into the flour mixture, using 1/4 cup (60 ml) at a time. Mix after each addition.
  3. Knead until a smooth dough forms. After adding all the yogurt, knead the dough inside the bowl until it becomes soft, smooth, and a little sticky.
    • If the dough feels too dry or crumbly, you could add another 1 to 2 Tbsp (15 to 30 ml) of yogurt. Do not add any water, though.
  4. Refrigerate the dough. Tightly wrap the dough in several layers of plastic wrap. Chill it in the refrigerator for 6 to 8 hours before continuing.
    • Alternatively, you could simple cover the top of the bowl with plastic wrap or a loose plate. The covering or wrapping is simply used to prevent the dough from drying out.
  5. Separate the dough into balls. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and punch it down. Knead it a few times, then break it apart into 8 or 9 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball.
    • Note that the balls should roughly be the size of a lime or lemon.
  6. Flatten the balls into circles. Roll the dough balls in additional flour. Use a rolling pin to flatten each one into a circle.
  7. Heat the oil. Pour the frying oil into a skillet with tall sides and a heavy bottom. Allow it to heat on your stove, on high, until the temperature reaches 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius).
    • Check the temperature using a candy or oil thermometer.
    • If you do not have a cooking thermometer, you could verify that the oil is hot enough by dropping in a small speck of dough. It should immediately sizzle and float to the top. Within moments, the dough should deepen to a light golden color.
  8. Fry each bhatura. Drop the bhatura into the hot oil one at a time. When the dough puffs up and the bottom deepens in color, flip it over and fry the other side. When done, there should be golden-brown specks on both sides.
    • The temperature of the oil will usually drop once you add the bhatura and rise when you take the finished bread out. For best results, keep a close eye on the temperature of the oil throughout the process and manipulate the controls as needed to maintain an even temperature.
  9. Drain and serve. Remove each finished bhatura with a slotted spoon. Place them on a plate lined with several layers of clean paper towels and let the excess oil drain off. Serve the bread while it is still hot and fresh.
    • For an even more authentic experience, serve the bhatura with Cook-Chole.

Aloo Bhatura

  1. Grate the potatoes. Use a box grater to shred the peeled, boiled potatoes into fine pieces.
    • Note that the potatoes should already be Peel-a-Potato and Boil-Potatoes prior to this step.
  2. Mash together with the other dough ingredients. In a large bowl, mash together the shredded potato, maida, salt, oil, and yogurt. Use a potato masher or your hands to combine the ingredients until a soft, slightly stick dough forms.
    • If necessary, sprinkle in a little water as you mix the dough if it seems too dry or crumbly. The dough must hold together well.
    • Continue kneading a few times even after the dough forms up.
  3. Let the dough sit. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, a lid, or an inverted plate. Set it aside on the counter and leave it alone for 15 to 20 minutes, or until it becomes slightly inflated.
  4. Separate the dough into pieces. Divide the dough into as many lemon-sized pieces as possible and roll each portion into a ball.
    • Note that you should put a little flour on your hands before handling the dough at this point to prevent the dough from sticking to your fingers.
  5. Flatten each ball into a circle. Dust each ball of dough with a little additional flour and flatten it into a circle using a rolling pin.
  6. Heat oil in a deep frying pan. Pour 2 inches (5 cm) of additional cooking oil into a deep frying pan with a sturdy bottom. Heat it on a flame or stove until the oil reaches a temperature of 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius).
    • If heating the oil on a stove, use high heat.
    • Check the temperature of the oil using a candy or oil thermometer.
    • If you do not have a cooking thermometer, you can test the oil by dropping a small piece of raw dough into it. When the oil is hot enough, the dough should sizzle and rise to the top immediately.
  7. Fry the bhatura. Drop the circles into the hot oil one at a time. When the dough floats to the top, use a ladle or slotted spoon to press down on it gently, causing it to become puffy. Flip it over to the other side once you notice the bottom beginning to brown, and continue cooking until both sides are lightly browned.
    • To ensure that each bhatura cooks evenly, you should try to keep the temperature of the oil even throughout the entire process. You may need to manipulate the amount of heat you use as you work since the temperature of the oil will change naturally as you fry the bread.
  8. Drain and serve. Remove the bhatura with a slotted spoon or ladle and drain each on on a plate covered in clean paper towels. Serve while still hot and fresh.
    • You can also make your own Cook-Chole or chana masala to serve alongside the bhatura for a complete Indian dining experience.

Things You'll Need

  • Large mixing bowl
  • Wooden mixing spoon
  • Plastic wrap or plate
  • Rolling pin
  • Deep frying pan

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.manjulaskitchen.com/2008/02/17/battura/
  2. ↑ http://www.cookingandme.com/2013/03/batura-recipe-how-to-make-chana-bhatura.html
  3. ↑ http://nishamadhulika.com/en/779-aloo-bhatura-recipes.html

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