All images and content are owned by Chez Nermine® and are copyright protected. Please do not use my images and/or recipes without prior permission. If you would like to republish a recipe, please rewrite it in your own words and link back to the recipe page on my site. Original recipes and creations of this site are intended for personal and home use. Commercial replication or media consumption are only allowed with a written consent and agreement with Chez Nermine owner. Otherwise it is considered a violation of intellectual property. Thank you for respecting and appreciating the amount of time and effort that goes into creating wholesome and unique recipes.

Dear friends and followers of Chez Nermine, this week on my blog I am delighted to host Ramita Anand, an exceptional expat wife, who I had the pleasure to meet in Singapore. She shares her mother’s recipe for Indian Fried Bhatura Bread.

Meet My Guest: Ramita Rand 

Raised in Canada by Indian parents, Ramita is sharing with us today her recipe of Indian bread, bhatura. Yet, first, let me introduce you to Ramita and her real passion.

Ramita Anand has over 15 years of classroom-based teaching experience, five of which were within the Learning Support and Enrichment departments of diverse schools internationally. 

She is the creator of Elevate.RA Mentoring Services and the podcast Elevate.RA Podcast.

Ramita’s approach is based on her realization through her work that children need to be championed and encouraged to pursue their dreams, a definitive and significant take away from each of her experiences across every school she has worked in.

Nostalgic Bhatura 

Ramita’s memory of Indian fried Bhatura bread is so vivid!  Ramita has grown up with a huge appreciation for family, as she was always surrounded by lots of extended relatives, cousins, and family friends. Weekends in her home revolved around lots of chatter and laughter in the kitchen while her mama and aunts busily prepared food in masses for the huge crew of hungry mouths waiting for the most puffed up bhatura.

She recalls, as a child sitting with her siblings and cousins, all eagerly awaiting the bhatura coming out hot from the frying pan so they could have a popping contest at the table, aking their spoons to watch the freshly made bhatura deflate like a balloon on their plates before dipping it into the channa and devouring it!

Puri Bread vs Bhatura 

It is reminiscent of quality time surrounded by those who you love and bring you joy as you would watch with admiration the art and skill in creating these perfectly round and indulgent puffed breads of pure delight, filling your home with the aroma of deliciousness. 

Many might wonder what the difference between puri and bhatura, so it is explained here: 

The difference is, puri is smaller in size and made with atta/whole wheat flour, whereas bhatura is larger and made with Maida/all-purpose flour. The flour has to be fermented with yeast (or baking soda and baking powder) to make bhaturas whereas puris are made without fermentation. 

Get it Touch With Ramita 

Visit her website: wwww, elevate-ra.com

Follow her on Linkedin

Follow Elevate.RA on Instagram & Facebook

Listen to the Elevate.RA Podcast 

Subscribe to Elevate.RA on Youtube

---

 

Indian Fried Bhatura Bread 

Recipe by Ramita Ananda via her Mama

 

Makes approx. 8 bhaturas (or less if you want to make them really big!)

Active Cooking Time: 20 – 25 minutes 

Prep Time: 60 – 90 minutes

 

 

 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups (260 grams) all purpose flour
• 1½ tablespoons semolina
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 2 pinches baking soda
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• ½ cup plain yogurt
• 3-4 tablespoons milk, as needed to knead the dough
• Vegetable, canola, or sunflower oil for deep frying

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl whisk together flour with semolina, sugar and salt. Add baking powder, two pinches of baking soda and mix well.
2. Add the wet ingredients: Then add oil and rub it into the flour and mix well, preferably using your hands. Add yogurt and mix, followed by splashes of milk, a little at a time to knead the dough.
3. Knead the dough: Use a stand mixer to knead well for 5-6 minutes or knead for 10 minutes with your hands until a smooth even dough is formed. 
4. Let the dough rest: Apply a tiny amount of oil on top of the dough, and then immediately cover it with a damp cloth placing it in a warm place for at least one hour. After 1 hour you should notice the dough to have risen, if not, leave longer until it does. 
5. Divide dough into 7 to 8 equal parts, let the dough balls rest for 5 minutes. 
6. Heat oil: Meanwhile heat the oil in a deep frying pan on medium-high heat. The oil should be sufficiently hot, if you drop a piece of dough into the oil it should come up briskly. That’s when you know that the oil is ready to fry the bhatura. 
7. Roll each dough into a circle or oval shape, it should neither be too thick nor too thin. 
8. Fry the bhatura: Add the rolled bhatura to the hot oil carefully, not to burn your fingers, while pressing gently with a ladle, until it starts to puff. Fry both the sides until a light golden  brown. Transfer to a plate or colander lined with kitchen roll to drain excess oil. 
9. Serve the bhatura nice and hot accompanied beautifully with a chickpea curry called chana, or chole if you are from North India like me. Enjoy popping and eating the puffed bread and soaking up the curry with its richness.