Farsi Puri
The best Farsi Puri recipe! This crispy, flaky, melt-in-your-mouth snack pairs perfectly with a hot cup of tea. Made with simple ingredients like flour, semolina, ghee, and spices, it’s a traditional Gujarati snack that’s perfect for the Diwali festival!
About This Recipe
In Gujarati, “Farsi” means flaky (khasta), which describes the texture of this puri. The flakiness comes from the ghee added to the dough. While it’s similar in taste to Punjabi mathri, the texture is different, with Farsi Puri having a more flaky texture.
Farsi Puri is a must in every Gujarati household during Diwali and is always on top of the list of Diwali snacks.
Though these farsi puris are high in calories due to the ghee and deep frying, it’s okay to indulge during festive times like Diwali. After all, we make these only once a year! I’d say two puris per person with a cup of tea is the perfect snack—if you can resist eating more!
Ingredient Notes
Here is a pic of the ingredients you’ll need to make this farsi puri recipe. Note: Oil is used for deep frying but is not shown in the picture.
Step By Step Photo Instructions (With Tips)
Step 1: Crush Black Peppercorns
- Crush your peppercorns coarsely—avoid making them into a fine powder, as the coarser texture adds a better bite.
- I used a spice grinder for this, but you can also use a mortar and pestle.
Step 2: Mix Flour & Oil (Moyan)
- In the bowl of a KitchenAid stand mixer, combine flour, semolina (sooji), salt, crushed black pepper, and cumin seeds. Stir the mixture gently with a spatula or spoon.
- Pour in the ghee. Make sure the ghee is in runny form (melted or semi-melted).
- Then attach the dough hook. Set the mixer to a low speed. Let it run for approximately 3 minutes, allowing the oil to blend evenly with the flour.
- If you spot any larger clumps of the oil-flour mixture, use a spatula to break them up for an even texture.
TIP: In Indian cooking, adding oil to the flour is called ‘moyan’ or ‘moyen.’ The right ghee-to-flour ratio is crucial to getting the flaky texture in farsi puri.
– To check if the mixture is right, pinch some of the flour-ghee mixture between your fingers; it should hold its shape in a crumbly form. If it falls apart, there isn’t enough ghee, so adjust as needed to get that ideal texture!
Step 3: Kneading the Dough
- With the mixer on LOW, slowly add water around the edges of the bowl. The mixture will gradually come together and begin forming a dough.
- Once all the water has been added, pause the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Turn the mixer back on to low-medium speed until it forms a kind of dough (into 2-3 dough balls)
- Gather the dough by hand, smoothing it into shape. The dough for farsi puri should be semi-stiff—not as soft or pliable as roti or chapati dough.
- Cover the dough and let it rest for 15-20 minutes.
TIPS:
– Gradually Add Water: Avoid adding all the water at once; instead, drizzle it slowly around the bowl while the mixer is running.
– Scrape as Needed: For a semi-stiff farsi puri dough, stop the mixer midway to scrape down the sides and bottom.
– No Need for Smoothness: This dough may not form a single smooth ball. Because it is a stiff dough, it might come together in 2-3 clumps. Simply gather it by hand to form a cohesive dough ball.
Step 4: Roll The Puris
- After resting, you may see tiny white spots on the dough—this is due to the salt. Knead the dough a few times (4-5) to smooth it out.
- Divide the dough into 2-3 portions and shape each portion into a cylinder. Cut each cylinder into small pieces, about 2 teaspoons in size.
- Roll each piece into a smooth ball, then flatten it gently between your palms to form a small disc.
- Roll each disc into a 3-inch circle, about ⅛-inch thick.
- Prick each puri 4-5 times with a fork to cover the surface and prevent puffing during frying.
TIP:
Pricking the puri is essential. It keeps the puris from puffing up during frying, ensuring that they stay flat and develop that perfect flaky texture.
Step 5: Deep Fry Farsi Puri
- Heat oil in a kadai over medium heat for deep frying.
- Once the oil is hot, lower the heat to low. Gently add a few farsi puris at a time without crowding, so they don’t stick together.
- Fry on low-medium heat until they turn golden brown and crispy.
- Use a slotted spoon to lift the farsi puris from the oil, allowing any extra oil to drain off. Transfer to a plate.
- While the first batch is frying, prepare the next batch by rolling and cutting the dough, so it’s ready to go.
TIPS:
– Check Oil Temperature: To see if the oil is ready for frying, drop a small piece of dough into it. It should sink for a moment and then rise to the surface. If it rises right away, the oil is too hot, which is good for pakoras but not for crispy snacks.
– Keep Heat Low-Medium: Always fry farsi puri on low to medium heat. Adjust the flame as necessary to maintain the right oil temperature. Frying on too high heat may cause them to brown too quickly while staying raw inside.
Storage Instructions
- Let the fried farsi puri cool down completely before storing them.
- Once cooled, transfer them to an airtight container.
- They can stay fresh for about 3-4 weeks (if you can resist eating them all 😉).
Check Out Other Gujarati Diwali Recipes
Did you try this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Leave a review in the comment section below. If you’re sharing it on your Instagram then don’t forget to tag me @spice.up.the.curry
Farsi Puri Recipe
US measuring cups are used (1 cup = 240 ml)
Ingredients
- 2 cups All purpose flour (Maida)
- ¼ cup Sooji (rava or semolina)
- ¾ teaspoons Salt
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- 2 teaspoon Black peppercorns, crushed coarsely
- ⅓ cup Ghee (clarified butter), Melted, or semi-melted
- ⅔ cup Water
- Oil, for deep frying
Instructions
Knead The Dough:
- In the bowl of a KitchenAid stand mixer, combine flour, semolina (sooji), salt, crushed black pepper, and cumin seeds. Stir the mixture gently with a spatula or spoon.
- Pour in the ghee. Then attach the dough hook. Set the mixer to a low speed. Let it run for approximately 3 minutes, allowing the oil to blend evenly with the flour.
- If you spot any larger clumps of the oil-flour mixture, use a spatula to break them up for an even texture.
- With the mixer on LOW, slowly add water around the edges of the bowl. The mixture will gradually come together and begin forming a dough.
- Once all the water has been added, pause the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Turn the mixer back on to low-medium speed until it forms a kind of dough. This dough may not form a single smooth ball. Because it is a stiff dough, it might come together in 2-3 clumps. Simply gather it by hand to form a cohesive dough ball.
- Cover the dough and let it rest for 15-20 minutes.
Roll Puris:
- After resting, knead the dough a few times (4-5) to smooth it out.
- Divide the dough into 2-3 portions and shape each portion into a cylinder. Cut each cylinder into small pieces, about 2 teaspoons in size.
- Roll each piece into a smooth ball, then flatten it gently between your palms to form a small disc.
- Roll each disc into a 3-inch circle, about ⅛-inch thick.
- Prick each puri 4-5 times with a fork to cover the surface.
Deep Fry Farsi Puri:
- Heat oil in a kadai over medium heat for deep frying.
- Once the oil is hot, lower the heat to low. Gently add a few farsi puris at a time without crowding, so they don’t stick together.
- Fry on low-medium heat until they turn golden brown and crispy.
- Use a slotted spoon to lift the farsi puris from the oil, allowing any extra oil to drain off. Transfer to a plate.
- While the first batch is frying, prepare the next batch by rolling and cutting the dough, so it’s ready to go.
Notes
- Moyan or Moyen: The right ghee-to-flour ratio is crucial to getting the flaky texture in farsi puri. So do not reduce the amount of ghee here. The dough should be stiff (not soft like roti, or chapati).
- Keep Heat Low-Medium: Always fry farsi puri on low to medium heat. Adjust the flame as necessary to maintain the right oil temperature. Frying on too high heat may cause them to brown too quickly while staying raw inside.
- Pricking the puri is essential. It keeps the puris from puffing up during frying, ensuring that they stay flat and develop that perfect flaky texture.
Looks wonderful. Your blog is like entering a whole new world of cuisine. Very interesting to me!
Thank you Jennifer
Omg, super crispy mathri, feel like munching some.