Breakfast · Nashto
Jeera Puri
Cumin-flavoured crisp fried flatbread
A thicker, firmer, biscuit-like puri flavoured with cumin, fried slowly on a low flame so it turns crisp outside and firm within instead of puffing like an ordinary puri. A snack and tea-time item (taraylo, fried) that keeps for days and travels well.
Ingredients
Make
Measure in
Cups are shown in grams or ml; spoons stay as spoons. Panja Khada’s own weights are used where they give them (1 cup of flour is 150 g, rice or dal 200 g, curd 225 g, milk or water 240 ml), and standard kitchen weights otherwise.
For the dough
For frying
Method
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Dough. In a bowl (paat), combine the flour, cumin seeds, salt and oil. Add water gradually and knead into a firm dough.
Shape. Divide into 7–8 equal portions. Flatten each and roll into a disc about 3 inches across and roughly ½ cm thick.
Fry. Heat oil in a kadai (deep frying pan) on a medium flame, then turn it down to low. Slide in 2–3 puris at a time and fry slowly, turning often, for about , until evenly crisp and light golden. Drain off the excess oil.
My notes
Your family’s way with this recipe, or a reminder for next time. Kept on this phone or computer, and shown in cook mode.
Tips and variations
Chef's tip: a low flame fries the puris through evenly and crisps them without scorching.
Ajwain Jeera Puri
Add ½ tsp carom seeds (ajwain) along with the cumin.
Black Pepper Jeera Puri
Mix freshly crushed black pepper into the dough for a mildly spicy version.
Masala Jeera Puri
Add a pinch each of red chilli powder, turmeric and coriander powder to the dough.
Whole Wheat & Millet Jeera Puri
Replace part of the whole wheat flour with bajra or jowar flour.
Kasuri Methi Jeera Puri
Add crushed dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) to the dough.
Spicy Jeera Puri
Add finely crushed green chillies or chilli flakes to the dough.
Serve with
Eaten plain as a snack, with fried pappad and khummar, or with tea. Made in large batches for travel, tea-time, guests and festive snack platters.
Recipes mentioned here
Nutrition
EstimatedPer puri
200 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbohydrate
- 29 g
- Fat
- 7 g
The recipe makes 7–8 puris.
Whole recipe
1,470 kcal
- Protein
- 36 g
- Carbohydrate
- 217 g
- Fat
- 56 g
Everything in the ingredients list, plus the oil soaked up in frying.
These are estimates, worked out from the amounts in the recipe and typical values for each ingredient. Portion sizes and the exact amount of oil, ghee or sugar can change them a lot. For deep-fried food we count the oil the food soaks up, not the whole pan of oil. How we estimate
Good to know
Storage
2–3 days in an airtight container; cool completely before storing to keep crisp.
About this dishDid you know?, Cultural note
Did you know?
Unlike soft, puffed regular puris, Jeera Puri is thicker and fried slowly for a crisp, biscuit-like texture.
Cultural note
A savoury Thathai Bhatia snack prized for simplicity, long shelf life and portability; the cumin reflects the Bhatia fondness for digestive spices.
Where this recipe comes from
Recipe from Panja Khada by Bharat and Deepa Chachara.
See the original recipe and photos