My neighbour in Delhi made daal poori every Sunday morning. She would sit cross-legged on the kitchen floor with a brass bowl of spiced lentil filling in one hand and small rounds of dough in the other, tucking a teaspoon of filling into each ball and rolling it flat before it hit the oil. Her pooris puffed every single time.
This recipe follows the same method. Boiled lentils cooked down with cumin seeds, asafoetida, ginger, turmeric, coriander powder, chili powder, green chilies, and tamarind paste until dry and crumbly. The dough is all-purpose flour with carom seeds and oil, rested under a damp cloth. Each ball gets stuffed, sealed, rolled, and fried at 175°C (350°F) until golden on both sides. Pretty damn satisfying to watch.
Tips for Making Daal Poori
Cook the lentil filling until completely dry
The filling must be dry and crumbly before you stuff it into the dough. If it is wet, it will leak through the dough when you roll it out and the poori will tear in the oil. 
Cook the lentils on medium-low for 5-7 minutes after adding the spices and tamarind paste, stirring often. The mixture should hold its shape when pressed with the back of a spoon.
Rest the dough before shaping
Fifteen to twenty minutes under a damp cloth makes the dough soft and pliable. Without resting, the dough springs back when you try to roll it and the filling breaks through.
Use warm water when kneading. Cold water makes a tough dough. You want it soft enough to stretch around the filling without cracking.
Daal Poori – Lentil Stuffed Deep Fried Indian Bread
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: Serves 8
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Crispy fried bread stuffed with a spiced lentil filling. A Bengali street food classic, perfect for a flavorful meal.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (285 g) boiled lentils
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1-2 green chilies, finely chopped
- 1-inch (2.5 cm) piece ginger, grated
- 1 teaspoon asafoetida
- 2 tablespoons tamarind paste
- Salt
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 1/2 cups (190 g) all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 tablespoons oil
- 1 tablespoon carom seeds
- Water as needed for kneading
- Oil for deep frying
Instructions
Prepare the Lentil Stuffing
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan over medium heat.
- Add the cumin seeds, asafoetida, and grated ginger. Sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in the boiled lentils and lower the heat to medium-low.
- Add turmeric, coriander powder, chili powder, chopped green chilies, and tamarind paste. Stir well.
- Cook the mixture for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally until the lentils absorb all moisture and become dry and crumbly.
- Remove from heat and let the filling cool completely.
Make the Dough
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, carom seeds, salt, and oil.
- Slowly add water, a few tablespoons at a time, while kneading until a soft, pliable dough forms.
- Knead for 5 minutes until smooth. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rest for 15-20 minutes.
Shape the Daal Poori
- Divide the dough into 8-10 equal portions and roll each into a small ball.
- Lightly dust a rolling surface with flour and roll out each ball into a 3-inch (7.5 cm) disk.
- Place 1 teaspoon of lentil filling in the center.
- Carefully gather the edges of the dough, pinch them together to seal, and form a stuffed ball.
- Gently roll it out again into a 4-5 inch (10-12 cm) circle.
Fry the Poori
- Heat oil in a deep pan or wok to 350°F (175°C).
- Test the oil temperature by dropping a small piece of dough—if it rises and sizzles immediately, the oil is ready.
- Carefully slide one poori into the hot oil.
- Using the back of a slotted spoon, gently press the poori as it fries to help it puff up.
- Fry for 30 seconds per side until golden brown.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
- Repeat with remaining dough balls.
Serve
- Serve hot with pickles, yogurt, chutney, or a simple potato curry.
Notes
- For a spicier daal, add 2-3 green chilies instead of 1-2.
- To make the dough ahead of time, cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Bring to room temperature before rolling.
- Leftover daal poori can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or frozen for up to 1 month.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Deep-Frying
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2-3 pooris
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 300
- Fat: 15
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Unsaturated Fat: 8
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 10
- Cholesterol: 0g
Frequently Asked Questions
What are carom seeds?
Also called ajwain. Small, ridged seeds with a sharp, thyme-like flavour. They are common in Indian bread doughs and aid digestion. Available at Indian grocery stores. If you cannot find them, use a pinch of dried thyme.
Can I bake these instead of frying?
They will not puff the same way. The rapid contact with hot oil is what creates steam inside and makes the poori balloon. Baked versions are flat and crispy, more like a cracker. Still good, but a different thing entirely.
Can I use whole wheat flour?
Yes. The recipe lists whole wheat as an alternative to all-purpose. Whole wheat daal poori are slightly heavier and nuttier. Roll them a bit thinner to compensate.
I’m a huge poori fan and these are lovely!
These were actually really fabulous. Was not sure about the lentil stuffing but it really worked well!
very nice… tried them and they were delicious… beautiful pictures as well
Sound like a delicacy, never tried daal before but this post is inspiring. I’ll get back to you on how it went.
EDIT: PERFECT, THESE ARE DELICIOUS!