Bhatura is a smooth fried yogurt bread that originated in North India. You can make bread with or without yeast, and if you want to try something even more unique, you can make aloo bhatura, which contains boiled potatoes.
Ingredients
Bhatura with Yeast
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) warm water
- Additional cooking oil for frying
- Additional 1/4 cup (60 ml) flour for grinding
Bhatura without Yeast
Makes 9 servings
- 2 cups (500 ml) all-purpose flour or maida
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) 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) oil
- 2 cups (500 ml) cooking oil for frying
Hello Bhatura
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
Step
Method 1 of 3: Bhatura with Yeast
Step 1. Dissolve the yeast
Put the active dry yeast in warm water. Leave it for 10 minutes, or until you see a foamy layer forming on the surface.
Step 2. Mix most of the dry ingredients
In a large bowl, mix the maida, sooji, sugar, and salt until smooth.
For best results, use clean hands or a wooden spoon to stir
Step 3. Add the remaining remaining dough
Add the yeast, oil, and yogurt solution to the flour and other dry ingredients. Stir with a spoon or with clean hands, until a soft dough forms.
The dough should blend well. If the dough looks too dry or crumbly, add 1 tablespoon at a time of extra water (15 ml) to help the dough stick together
Step 4. Let the dough bloom
Cover and place in a warm place for 3 to 4 hours. During this time, the dough will double in volume.
Cover the bowl with the dough with plastic wrap, an inverted table, or a damp towel
Step 5. Divide the dough
Beat the dough and knead several times. Divide into 8 equal portions and form into balls.
Remember you need to dust your hands with a little extra flour to prevent the dough from sticking to your skin
Step 6. Roll the balls into a circle
Sprinkle each ball of dough with additional flour and place on the table. Flatten it into a circle using a dough roller.
Each circle is about 15 cm or less in diameter. The thickness is not thinner than 1.25 cm
Step 7. Heat the cooking oil
Pour the oil into a skillet with a thick bottom to a height of 3.75 cm. heat it on high on the stove until the oil reaches 180 degrees Celsius.
- You can check the temperature using a candy thermometer or an oil thermometer.
- If you don't have a cooking thermometer, you can test the oil by dripping a small amount of raw dough into it. When the oil is hot enough, the dough will sizzle and rise directly to the surface, light in color.
- The oil should be hot enough before you start. Otherwise, the bread will be greasy and heavy.
Step 8. Fry each bhatura one by one
Put one in the hot oil. Gently press down with a skimmer or slotted spoon until it expands like a ball. Use a spoon to flip the bhatura, and cook until both sides are light golden brown.
Watch the temperature of the oil when you fry the bread. The temperature will naturally drop as you add the dough and rise when it's empty. Change the temperature setting on the hob to produce an even temperature throughout the cooking process
Step 9. Drain and serve
Remove the bhatura with a slotted spoon or a long spoon and drain each loaf on a plate lined with thick paper towels. Serve while still hot and fresh.
Serve the bhatura with homemade chole, a dish made from chickpeas, or channa
Method 2 of 3: Bhatura without Yeast
Step 1. Mix dry ingredients
In a large bowl, mix the maida, baking powder, salt, and baking soda until smooth.
Use dry hands or a wooden spoon for best results
Step 2. Add yogurt
Slowly fold the yogurt or curd into the flour mixture, cup (60ml) by cup. Stir each time the yogurt is added.
Step 3. Knead until a smooth dough is formed
After adding all the yogurt, knead the dough in a bowl until the dough is smooth, soft and slightly sticky.
If the dough feels too dry or crumbly, you can add 1 to 2 tablespoons (15 to 30 ml) of yogurt. But don't add water
Step 4. Put the dough in the refrigerator
Cover tightly with several layers of plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for 6 to 8 hours before continuing.
Alternatively, you can cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a plate. Covering or wrapping is intended to prevent the dough from drying out
Step 5. Divide the dough into balls
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and beat until it is flat. Knead several times, then divide evenly into 8 or 9 portions. Roll each piece into a ball.
The ball should be about the size of a lime or lemon
Step 6. Flatten the ball into a circle
Roll dough balls in additional flour. Use a grinder to flatten each ball into a circle.
Step 7. Heat the oil
Pour cooking oil into a skillet with high walls and heavy bottom. Let it heat on the stove at high temperature, until the temperature reaches 180 degrees Celsius.
- Check the temperature using a candy thermometer or an oil thermometer.
- If you don't have a cooking thermometer, you can test the oil by dripping a small amount of raw dough into it. When the oil is hot enough, the dough will sizzle and rise directly to the surface. After a while the dough will turn golden in color.
Step 8. Fry each bhatura
Add the bhatura to the hot oil one by one. When the dough rises and the bottom begins to darken in color, flip it over and fry the other side. When done, there should be golden brown spots on both sides.
The temperature of the oil usually decreases when you add the bhatura and increases when the bread is cooked and you take it out. For best results, monitor the temperature of the oil during frying, and adjust the setting to keep the temperature even
Step 9. Drain and serve
Remove the bhatura with a slotted spoon or a long spoon and drain each loaf on a plate lined with thick paper towels. Serve while still hot and fresh.
For a more authentic experience, serve bhatura with chole masala
Method 3 of 3: Aloo Bhatura
Step 1. Grate the potatoes
Use a square grater to grate and peel the peeled boiled potatoes into fine pieces.
Note that the potatoes must be peeled and boiled before doing this step
Step 2. Mash with other dough ingredients
In a large bowl, mash the grated potatoes, maida, salt, oil and yogurt. Use a potato mash or your hands to mix the ingredients together until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms.
- If needed, sprinkle a little water as you knead the dough if it's too dry or crumbly. The dough should blend well.
- Continue to knead several times even after the dough has formed.
Step 3. Leave the dough
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, a lid, or an inverted plate. Set aside on the counter and let sit for 15 to 20 minutes, or until slightly deflated.
Step 4. Divide the dough into small pieces
Divide the dough into as many lemons as possible and roll each portion into balls.
Don't forget to sprinkle a little flour on your hands before handling the current dough so it doesn't stick to your fingers
Step 5. Flatten each ball into a circle
Sprinkle each ball of dough with a little extra flour and flatten it into a circle using a rolling pin.
Step 6. Heat the oil in a frying pan
Pour oil up to 5 cm high in a frying pan for deep frying with plenty of oil on a firm bottom. Heat over a fire or stove until the oil reaches a temperature of 180 degrees Celsius.
- When heating oil on the stove, use high heat.
- Check the oil temperature with a candy bar or an oil thermometer.
- If you don't have a cooking thermometer, you can test the oil by dripping a small amount of raw dough into it. When the oil is hot enough, the dough will sizzle and rise straight to the surface.
Step 7. Fry the bhatura
Drop the circles into the hot oil one at a time. When the dough floats to the surface, use a slotted spoon to gently press it down, causing it to be puffy. Flip to the other side once you see the bottom is starting to brown, and continue cooking until both sides are browned.
To ensure that each bhatura cooks evenly, you can keep the oil temperature even throughout the cooking process. You may need to adjust the heat of the stove as the temperature of the oil will naturally change as you fry the bread
Step 8. Drain and serve
Remove the bhatura with a slotted spoon or a long spoon and drain each loaf on a plate lined with thick paper towels. Serve while still hot and fresh.
