These Daal Puri are fried, crispy flatbread (puri), filled with delicious spiced red lentils (daal) served hot and fresh for a delicious weekend breakfast treat.
Most mornings around here, we’re rolling out of bed in a groggy state, settling for a quick, healthy breakfast breakfast – oatmeal, maybe eggs and a cup of coffee or tea before starting the rest of our day.
But weekend mornings are an opportunity to slow down. Roll out of bed mid morning, and really enjoy that cup of tea or coffee.
That’s when you bring out these daal puri.
What is Daal Puri?
Daal Puri is a crispy flatbread (puri), that is stuffed with cooked lentils and a few spices.
This dal puri recipe has two components:
- Daal – in this case Masoor dal (red lentils) is the filling.
- Puri – we make a simple unleavened dough with flour, water, and a few spices.
The puri dough is stuffed with the daal filling, and then they are fried in hot oil.
The result is a dal puri that is golden and crispy on the outside, yet soft and tender on the inside.
These daal puris are best served fresh, and hot!
Recipes you’ll love
If you’re looking for similar breakfast, appetizer or snack recipes, here are some of our favorites:
- Aloo Paratha: Potato Stuffed Flatbread
- Khaman Dhokla: Savory Gram Flour Cake
- Masala French Toast: Quick and Easy Indian Breakfast
- Methi Thepla
How to make Daal Puri?
Step #1: Daal Filling
The filling for this daal puri is made with masoor daal (red lentils), and just a few spices.
Start by soaking the daal in water for at least 30 minutes.
Then rinse the daal and cook it with a little water, and salt.
The daal has finished cooking once it is tender and the water has evaporated.
Remove from heat, and let the daal cool completely.
Mom’s Pro-Tip
Store the cooked daal (lentils) in the fridge in a container lined with paper towel to absorb any remaining moisture.
If you’re preparing this dish for breakfast, this step can be done the night before.
Once ready to assemble the puri in the morning, add the spices – cumin powder, dry mango powder, red chilli powder and black pepper powder to the daal.
Step #2: Puri Dough
The puri is made with a basic, unleavened dough. You can use roti atta or all purpose flour for the dough.
In a bowl, whisk together 1 cup flour, salt, ground black pepper, cumin powder, and carom (ajwain) powder.
Add 2 tablespoons of oil, and 1/3 cup water. Mix dough together until it comes together.
Add additional water as required to make the dough. Knead dough for a few minutes until elastic.
Keep aside for at least 20 minutes or longer.
Step #3: Assemble and Fry
Now it’s time to assemble the daal puris!
In a pot or frying pan, preheat oil to fry the puris.
Divide the puri dough into 6-8 equal sized balls (about the size of golf balls).
Sprinkle a little flour on your workspace, and flatten out one ball of dough. Add 1-2 tablespoons of daal mixture to the centre. Pinch the dough together carefully, sealing the edges as tightly as possible.
Make sure there is very little air in the puris when pinching the dough together.
Flatten the puri with your hands, or using a rolling pin, carefully. Make sure the daal filling does not seep out of the dough. If it does, then pinch dough together to fix the seam.
Transfer to hot oil, and fry on medium heat for 2-3 minutes on each side, until golden brown.
Repeat with remaining dough balls.
What to serve with Daal Puri?
Daal puri is a star dish on it’s own. Serve it for a weekend breakfast with Imli (tamarind) chutney, or your favorite raita.
Methi Thepla is delicious with a little bit of plain yogurt or simple condiments, like achaar/pickle, or your favorite chutney. Here are some of our favorite things to enjoy with daal puri:
- Mint Raita: Easy Yogurt Sauce
- Aam ki Launji – Keri / Raw Mango Chutney
- Gajar Ka Achaar – Carrot Pickle
- Khajur Imli Chutney: Sweet and Tangy Tamarind and Date Sauce
No breakfast would be complete without a good cup of tea! We love to serve daal puri with a good cup of Karak chai or Adrak Chai!
In our house, no weekend breakfast is complete without something sweet. These Nankhatai (cardamom shortbread cookies) would be the perfect end to a delicious weekend breakfast!
If you give this recipe a try, we’d love to see it! Tag us on Instagram @thespicemess
Ready to make Dal Puri?
Here are our favorites to make Dal Puri:
Daal Puri
Ingredients
Daal Filling
- 1/2 cup masoor daal
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1/4 teaspoon dry mango powder amchur powder, optional
- 1/4 tsp red chilli powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper powder
Puri
- 1 cup Whole wheat flour (roti atta) or all purpose flour
- Salt to taste
- 1/4 tsp carom seeds, ground (ajwain)
- 1/4 tsp cumin powder
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1/3 cup water plus more, as needed to make dough
- oil for frying puris
Instructions
Daal Filling
- Rinse and soak masoor daal (red lentils) for at least 30 minutes.
- Once soaked, rinse then add to a small pot with a 1/4 cup of water, 1/2 tsp salt.
- Cook on low heat until daal is tender, and the water has evaporated – about 30-40 minutes.
- Remove from heat and allow the cooked daal to come to room temperature.
- Store in fridge in a container lined with paper towel to absorb any remaining moisture.
- Once ready to assemble the puri, add the spices – cumin powder, dry mango powder, red chilli powder and black pepper powder to the daal.
Puri
- In a bowl, whisk together 1 cup flour, salt, ground black pepper, cumin powder, and carom (ajwain) powder.
- Add 2 tablespoons of oil, and 1/3 cup water. Mix dough together until it comes together.
- Add additional water as required to make the dough. Knead dough for a few minutes until elastic.
- Keep aside for 20 minutes or longer.
Assembly
- In a pot or frying pan, preheat oil to fry the puris.
- Divide the dough into 6-8 equal sized balls (about the size of golf balls).
- Sprinkle a little flour on your workspace, and flatten out one ball of dough. Add 1-2 tablespoons of daal mixture to the centre. Pinch the dough together carefully, sealing the edges as tightly as possible.
- Flatten the puri with your hands, or using a rolling pin, carefully. Make sure the daal filling does not seep out of the dough. If it does, then pinch dough together to fix the seam.
- Transfer to hot oil, and fry on medium heat for 2-3 minutes on each side, until golden brown.
- Repeat with remaining dough balls.
- Serve daal puri with your favorite raita, chutney or sauces.