Bhatura is a soft fried yogurt-based bread, native to the northern part of India. You can make bhatura with or without yeast, and if you want to experiment with an even more exotic recipe you can cook alo bhatura, which contains boiled potatoes.
Ingrediants
Bhatura with Yeast
For 8 servings
- 500 g of flour
- 60 g of semolina flour
- 2 teaspoons (10 g) of Active Dry Yeast
- 1 teaspoon of sugar
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 45 ml of White Yogurt
- 2 tablespoons of Seed Oil
- 180 ml of warm water
- Seed oil for frying
- Flour for flour
Bhatura without yeast
For 9 servings
- 500 g of flour
- 180 ml of White Yogurt
- 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon of Bicarbonate
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- 500 ml of Seed Oil for frying
Aloo Bhatura
For 8 - 10 servings
- 500 g of flour
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 2 or 3 Potatoes, boiled and peeled
- 75 ml of White Yogurt
- Water if needed
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of Seed Oil
- Seed oil for frying
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Bhatura with Yeast
Step 1. Dissolve the yeast
Blend the active yeast into the warm water. Let it sit for 10 minutes, or until a foamy layer forms on the surface.
Step 2. Blend almost all of the dry ingredients
In a large bowl, combine the flour, semolina flour, sugar and salt, mixing them evenly.
For best results, mix with clean hands or a wooden spoon
Step 3. Add the remaining ingredients to the dough
Incorporate the yeast mixture, oil, and yogurt. Mix with your hands or with a wooden spoon, until it forms a soft dough.
The dough must be compact. If it appears too dry or crumbly, add a small amount of water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to make it uniform and compact
Step 4. Let the dough rise
Cover it and store it in a warm place for 3 to 4 hours. During rising, it should double in volume.
Cover the bowl with cling film, an upside-down plate, or a damp kitchen towel
Step 5. Divide the dough
Work the dough by squeezing and pulling it several times. Then divide it into 8 identical portions and shape them into a spherical shape.
You may need to sprinkle your hands with extra flour to prevent the dough from sticking to your skin
Step 6. Shape the circles
Flour each ball of dough and roll it out on the work surface using a rolling pin. You will need to give it the shape of a circle.
Each circle should be 15cm or less in diameter. Each circle should be no finer than 1.25cm thick
Step 7. Heat the frying oil
Pour a generous amount of oil into a heavy-bottomed pan and prepare to fry. Heat it until it reaches a temperature of 180 ° C.
- Check the oil temperature with a suitable cooking thermometer.
- If you don't have a thermometer, you can dip a small piece of dough into the oil to make sure it's ready. If it starts to sizzle immediately, taking on a light color and coming to the surface, the oil is hot enough.
- Before starting to fry the oil must be hot enough. Otherwise the bread will become greasy and heavy.
Step 8. Fry one bhatura at a time
Dip one into the hot oil. Gently squeeze it with a slotted spoon until it swells like a ball. Turn it over on the other side and continue cooking until it is uniformly golden.
Check the temperature of the oil while cooking. The degree of heat will naturally decrease upon contact with the cold dough, and will increase when the pan is empty. Adjust the flame to keep the heat level as constant as possible throughout the process
Step 9. Drain and serve
Remove the ready-made bhatura from the oil using the skimmer. Place it on a plate lined with paper towels to extract any excess oil. Serve the hot, freshly made bhatura.
Accompany the bhatura with 'chole', a tasty Indian dish based on chickpeas
Method 2 of 3: Bhatura without yeast
Step 1. Blend the dry ingredients
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, mixing them evenly.
For best results, mix with clean hands or a wooden spoon
Step 2. Add the yogurt
Add the yogurt gradually, 60ml at a time, carefully incorporating it into the flour mixture.
Step 3. Work the dough until the mixture is smooth and uniform
After adding the yogurt, work the dough into the bowl until it is soft, smooth and slightly sticky.
If the dough appears dry or crumbly, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of yogurt. Don't add water though
Step 4. Cool the dough
Wrap it securely in several layers of cling film. Place it in the refrigerator for 6 - 8 hours before continuing.
Alternatively, you can simply cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a plate. Any type of protection serves to prevent the dough from drying out
Step 5. Divide the dough into balls
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and knead it by squeezing and pulling it several times. Then divide it into 8-9 identical portions and shape them into a spherical shape.
Each ball should be about the size of a lime or a small lemon
Step 6. Shape the circles
Flour each ball of dough and roll it out on the work surface using a rolling pin. You will need to give it the shape of a circle.
Step 7. Heat the oil
Pour the frying oil into a heavy-bottomed, high-sided skillet. Heat it on the stove until it reaches a temperature of 180 ° C.
- Check the oil temperature with a suitable cooking thermometer.
- If you don't have a thermometer, you can dip a small piece of dough into the oil to make sure it's ready. If it starts to sizzle immediately, taking on a light color and coming to the surface, the oil is hot enough.
Step 8. Fry the bhatura
Dip one bhatura at a time in the hot oil. When the dough swells and the underside turns golden, flip it over and cook on the other side. When cooked, it should show a grainy, golden surface on both sides.
The temperature of the oil should drop in contact with the cold dough and rise when the pan is empty. For best results, keep an eye on the temperature of the oil throughout the entire process, and adjust the flame to keep the heat as constant as possible
Step 9. Drain and serve
Remove the baked bread from the oil using a slotted spoon. Place it on a plate lined with absorbent paper to extract the excess oil. Serve the hot, freshly made bhatura.
For an even more authentic experience, accompany it with the Indian dish 'chole masala'
Method 3 of 3: Aloo Bhatura
Step 1. Grate the potatoes
Use a vegetable grater and turn your boiled and peeled potatoes into small thin pieces.
The potatoes must have been boiled and peeled previously
Step 2. Combine the potatoes with the other ingredients of the dough
In a large bowl, mix the grated potatoes, flour, salt, oil and yogurt. Use a potato masher, or your hands, to mix the ingredients until you get a soft and slightly sticky dough.
- If it appears dry or crumbly, moisten the dough with a few drops of water as you work it. You will need to obtain a compact and uniform dough.
- Continue to knead the dough several times, even after you have obtained the desired consistency.
Step 3. Let the dough rest
Cover the bowl with cling film, a lid, or an upside-down plate. Set the dough aside and let it rest for 15 - 20 minutes, or until it swells slightly.
Step 4. Divide the dough
Divide the dough into small pieces the size of a lemon, and shape them into a spherical shape.
You may need to sprinkle your hands with extra flour to prevent the dough from sticking to your skin
Step 5. Shape the circles
Flour each ball of dough and roll it out on the work surface using a rolling pin. You will need to give it the shape of a circle.
Step 6. Heat the oil in a deep, sturdy skillet
Pour the oil into the pan and heat it using a high flame, it must reach a temperature of 180 ° C.
- If you are using a deep fat fryer, choose a high heat setting.
- Check the oil temperature with a suitable cooking thermometer.
- If you don't have a thermometer, you can dip a small piece of dough into the oil to make sure it's ready. If it starts to sizzle immediately, taking on a light color and coming to the surface, the oil is hot enough.
Step 7. Fry the bhatura
Dip the circles of dough into the hot oil, one at a time. When the bread floats on the surface of the oil, press it lightly towards the bottom of the pan with a skimmer to cause it to swell. Flip it over to the other side as soon as the underside begins to brown, and continue cooking for even color.
To ensure even cooking of the bhatura, you should try to keep the oil temperature uniform throughout the entire process. You may have to adjust the intensity of the flame several times because the degree of heat of the oil will change naturally when it comes into contact with the dough
Step 8. Drain and serve
Remove the baked bread from the oil using a slotted spoon. Place it individually in a paper towel lined dish to extract any excess oil. Serve the hot, freshly made bhatura.
