Agra's Bedmi Poori

Bedmi Pooris, are lentil stuffed popular deep-fried bread served as a breakfast item in Agra along with any kind of aloo dish but tasty on its own too!

When F and I went for our first long vacation (official honeymoon 🥰) in 2013, we chose to be at Agra. Those who have been following my blog from day one would know that we were living apart pursuing our careers while I waited for a visa to KSA. It took almost a year before I could join F in Yanbu. So off to Agra to watch the Taj with the love of my life and ended up eating countless Bedmi pooris at the hotel restaurant. We never got bored of having bedmi pooris all the days we stayed there. Being a foodie, I have always associated vacation with the food I relished. We try most of the spread and have our personal favourites by the time we check out. Bedmi poori was one of them but unfortunately never got to have it and almost forgot the name until we were looking at the vacation pics!

Bedmi Poori Ingredients

split urad dal: Use the tiny split skinless urad dal.
ginger
green chillies
wheat flour
semolina: aka as rava or sooji
fennel seeds powder
coriander powder
red chilli powder
dry mango powder
hing
Salt to taste
water
Oil

How to make Bedmi Pooris? Video and Step by Step

The Internet is filled with variations of Bedmi Pooris and is mostly divided into two methods - first, all in one bowl dough and the second method, stuff the cooked lentil mix like usual parathas and deep fry. I chose to go with the all-in-one bowl dough method. The spices I have used are generally used in most recipes. Some recipes called for garam masala and fresh coriander leaves.

First, don't forget to wash and soak the urad dal overnight.

Drain the urad dal and add it into the blender along with ginger and green chillies. Grind it to a finer coarse paste with help of minimal water.

urad dal and other ingredients in a grinder jar

Add the flour mix items to a large bowl and mix well. Wheat flour, salt, thing, dry mango powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder and fennel powder.

Add the prepared urad dal paste.

Start kneading to make a smooth dough (use water sparingly) - it will be sticky so you may grease your hands with oil. Coat the dough with oil and cover and rest it for 30 minutes.

Knead the dough with greased hands and make equal-sized balls (~20)

Heat oil in a deep wide pan. Coat the dough ball with oil and then roll to a flat disc but not too thin.

Deep fry on medium flame by flipping and turning the sides, till golden on both sides

Repeat for each dough ball ensuring to adjust the heat when the oil gets too hot.

a basket of freshly fried Agra's Bedmi Poori

Serve immediately!

Agra's Bedmi Poori Recipe

INGREDIENTS

Urad dal paste:

½ cup split urad dal, soaked overnight
1-inch ginger
3 to 4 green chillies

Flour mix:

1 and ½ cup wheat flour
¼ cup semolina (rava/sooji)
1 teaspoon fennel seeds powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
½ teaspoon red chilli powder
½ teaspoon dry mango powder
a pinch of hing
Salt to taste

To make the dough:

prepared urad dal paste
prepared flour mix
water - very sparingly
oil to grease and coat
Oil to deep fry

METHOD

Prepare the urad paste: Drain the soaked urad dal and add it into the mixie grinder along with the ginger and green chillies. Grind it to a finer coarse paste with help of minimal water.
Prepare the flour mix: Add the flour and the spices to a large bowl and mix to combine.
Prepare the dough: Add the prepared urad dal paste to the flour mix. Start kneading to a smooth dough (use water sparingly). The dough will be sticky so you may grease your hands with oil. Coat the dough with oil and cover and rest it for 30 minutes.
Knead the dough with greased hands and make equal-sized balls (approx 20 balls)
Fry the Bedmi puris: Heat oil in a deep frying pan. Coat the dough ball with oil and then roll to a flat disc but not too thin. Deep fry on medium flame by flipping and turning the sides until golden on both sides. Repeat for each dough ball ensuring to adjust the heat when the oil gets too hot. Serve them with Aloo Debki or my poori masala, cholar dal or any curry you like!

So, that's my story behind Bedmi Pooris, what's yours?

TRIED THIS RECIPE?

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