Crispy Vatana Puri Recipe: How to Make Masala Green Peas Poori
Learn how to make crispy, non-oily Vatana Puri (Green Peas Poori) with this step-by-step recipe. A perfect Maharashtrian breakfast with a secret tip for extra crunch!
Ingredients
For the Green Peas Paste:
- 1 cup Fresh Green Peas Vatana/Matar (boiled for 5 mins)
- 6-7 Green Chillies lightly roasted
- 4 cloves of Garlic lightly roasted
- ½ inch Ginger
- ½ tsp Fennel Seeds Saunf
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds Jeera (roasted)
- 1 tsp Coriander Seeds Dhania (roasted)
- ½ tsp Carom Seeds Ajwain
- 1 handful Fresh Coriander Leaves including tender stems
For the Dough:
- 2 tbsp Fine Semolina Rava/Sooji – The secret for crunch!
- 1 tbsp Gram Flour Besan
- 2 cups Wheat Flour Atta
- Salt to taste
- 2 pinches Black Salt
- ½ tsp Red Chilli Powder optional
- ½ tsp Chaat Masala
- ½ tsp Amchur Powder Dry Mango Powder
- ½ tsp Garam Masala
- 1 tbsp Oil for the dough (optional)
- Water as needed for kneading
- Oil for deep frying
Instructions
- Prepare the Peas: Lightly boil the fresh green peas for exactly 5 minutes. Do not overcook them. Drain the water completely and let them cool down.
- Make the Masala Paste: In a blender jar, add the boiled peas, roasted green chillies, roasted garlic, ginger, fennel seeds, roasted cumin, roasted coriander seeds, carom seeds, and fresh coriander. Grind this into a fine paste. Use a tiny amount of water only if absolutely necessary.
- Mix the "Secret" Ingredients: Transfer the green paste into a large mixing bowl. Add the semolina (rava) and gram flour (besan). Mix well and let it rest for 5–10 minutes. This allows the semolina to absorb moisture and swell, ensuring your pooris stay crispy.
- Season the Dough: After resting, add the wheat flour, regular salt, black salt, red chilli powder, chaat masala, amchur powder, and garam masala to the bowl.
- Knead the Dough: Mix everything together by hand. Add 1 tbsp of oil (hot or room temp) to the mixture (optional). Gradually add water and knead into a tight and stiff dough. Note: The dough should be tighter than regular chapati dough to prevent it from absorbing oil.
- Roll the Pooris: Grease your hands with a little oil and smooth out the dough. Pinch small lemon-sized balls. Roll them out into medium-thick discs. You can also roll a large circle and cut small pooris using a sharp bowl or cookie cutter for uniform shapes.
- Fry to Perfection: Heat oil in a deep pan (kadhai). The oil should be medium-hot. Slide a puri gently into the oil. Press it slightly with a slotted spoon to help it puff up.
- Serve: Fry until golden and crispy on both sides. Remove and drain excess oil. Serve hot!