Bedmi Poori is a popular street side breakfast in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. A coarse urad dal (lentil) paste is kneaded with whole wheat flour along with spices, rolled and deep fried. Bedmi Poori are served with aloo ki sabzi(spicy potato curry) and khatta meetha kaddu (sweet & sour pumpkin).
Bedmi pooris make for a perfect weekend breakfast and are great for festivals and celebrations. Poori is puffy deep fried flatbread popular all across India. You can check out my recipe of poori here. Poori dough is usually made with just flour, however addition of coarse lentil paste to the dough makes bedmi pooris unique and so delicious!
If you happen to visit streets of Old Delhi, you will see every other stall selling bedmi poori - sabzi. Street side pooris are one of the most delicious things. The aroma of spices and lentils filling up the air whenpooris deep fry is simply irrestible and it hard to cross by without sampling a bite. Other than Old Delhi, I loved having these on our trip to Agra at food stalls outside Taj Mahal as well as in narrow lanes of Mathura.
What kind of lentils can be used
Traditionally, urad lentils are used to make bedmi poori. However, you can use yellow mung lentils as well as chana dal (bengal gram lentils). A variety of whole spices like fennel, nigella and cumin are added to the dough along with ginger, green chili paste and lots of hing(asafetida).
Urad lentils in the dough make the pooris taste so amazing but at the same time because since they are protein rich and heavu lentil variety, they can sometimes lead to bloating. Thats why adding all the spices(particularly the fennel, hing & ginger) makes them easily digestible as well as super flavorful. It is amazing how these traditional recipes have been developed keeping real nourishment to the body in mind.
How is Bedmi Poori made
Making bedmi poori is similar to making pooris. The difference is only in the ingredients of the dough. You make a tight (but not dry) spiced lentil and whole wheat flour dough, rest it (super important) and then roll it into 4 or 5 inch discs and deep fry. Watch this video to get an idea of how these pooris are made.
How to serve Bedmi Poori
As I already mentioned, bedmi pooris are served with a spicy potato curry and pumpkin curry. But really you can serve them with dum aloo or paneer curry or any curry you like. I love them with a cup of chai just on their own. Served with chai they remind me of childhood train trips. You can also serve raita(yogurt) and pickle with these pooris.
Recipe Tips
- Always soak the lentils in water. This helps in even grinding as well as better taste of the lentils. However, do not soak the lentils for more than 4-6 hours. This is a little tip of my mom - who says that this way the pooris don't absorb a lot of oil. I swear by it 🙂
- Don't go overboard on spices or chilies. Spices make these pooris really tasty, however, these pooris should primarily taste of urad lentils.
- When you make the dough, add water slowly and make a stiff dough for pooris.
- You can add a little bit of semolina to the dough for added crispness. I sometimes do it too.
Bedmi Poori
Ingredients
- ¾ cup split & skinned urad dal
- 2.5 cup whole wheat flour (atta)
- 2 inch fresh ginger, roughly chopped
- 2 thai bird green chillies
- 1.5 teaspoon fennel seeds
- ½ teaspoon nigella seeds
- 1.5 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon hing
- 1.5 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoon oil (while kneading the dough)
- Oil for frying
Instructions
- Wash the urad lentils 2-3 times. Soak for 6 hours.
- Once soaked, drain the water completely.
- Add lentils to a grinder/blender along with ginger, green chilies, cumin, fennel, nigella, red chili powder and hing. Grind the dal to a coarse paste. If needed, add as little water as possible (1-2 tbsp).
- In a large bowl, add flour, ground lentils and salt. Mix everything with hands. Add oil and mix as well.
- Start adding little water and knead into a firm stiff dough. I used about ⅓ cup water. Add water slowly while kneading. Knead the dough for about 8-10 minutes to make as smooth as possible. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and rest for 20 minutes.
- Pinch equal portions form the dough depending on how large/small or thin/thick you want to make pooris. Roll the portions into smooth balls
- In a kadai/wide pot, set oil on a medium high stove to heat up.
- Without using any dry flour, roll the balls into to a 3-4 inch circle. You can use little bit of oil while rolling if needed.
- Slide the rolled poori into the hot oil and deep fry till slightly browned from both the sides. Gently press the pooris while frying so that they puff up. Drain them on a plate lined with paper towel. Repeat till all pooris are fried up. Serve.
Notes
- Always soak the lentils in water. This helps in even grinding as well as better taste of the lentils. However, do not soak the lentils for more than 4-6 hours. This is a little tip of my mom - who says that this way the pooris don't absorb a lot of oil. I swear by it 🙂
- Don't go overboard on spices or chili. Spices make these pooris really tasty, however, these pooris should primarily taste of urad lentils.
- When you make the dough, add water slowly and make a stiff dough for pooris.
- You can add a little bit of semolina to the dough for added crispness. I sometimes do it too.
Sowmya
Looks tempting and delicious.
Dorothy's New Vintage Kitchen
These look so delicious!