Puris are a delicious deep-fried Indian bread and the addition of ripened bananas makes them even harder to resist. Puris (or pooris) are enjoyed throughout India and are eaten particularly on festive occasions and holidays. This particular recipe is a favorite among both kids and adults alike. This dish is a great way to use over ripe bananas, in fact, the more ripe the banana the better! These puris can be eaten for breakfast or as a light snack or meal and are especially great for picnics since they travel well.


BANANA PURI

Ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat flour (atta)
a few tbsp of all-purpose flour, as needed
1 large very ripe banana
salt to taste
pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
oil for deep frying
water as needed

METHOD:

Peel and mash the banana, set aside until needed. A fork works really well for this task.

In a large mixing bowl, add the flour and the salt. Mix together and slowly add the water while kneading until a soft dough is formed. If the dough is sticky, add a little all-purpose flour. Add the mashed banana along with the freshly grated nutmeg and carefully mix them into the dough adding a little extra flour if needed.

Using a clean work surface sprinkled with some all-purpose flour, gently knead the dough and divide it equally into round balls (roughly ping pong ball size). At this point, you can use a puri machine (similar to a tortilla press) or a rolling pin to make the puris. Roll them out evenly into round circles (4-5 inches in diameter). Heat a deep skillet with enough oil to deep fry. When hot, carefully add the puris (2-3 at a time) and fry until golden brown. You may need to fry them in batches. Drain well and serve immediately with your favorite sweet chutney and yogurt.


VARIATIONS:

Instead of using freshly grated nutmeg, you could add a pinch of saffron or a pinch of freshly ground cardamom instead. I have even made banana puris using chai masala (¼ tsp) and they were such a huge hit!

You can also caramelize the bananas in a skillet with a little butter. Peel and cut the banana into small pieces and brown in a skillet on medium high heat with a tbsp of butter. You can add a pinch of cinnamon or freshly grated nutmeg along with a tbsp or so of brown sugar. The bananas should break down and caramelize along with the sugar. Let the mixture cool entirely before adding it to the dough.

Banana puris can also be served along with shrikhand (sweetened yogurt).