Dhalpourie, roti stuffed with dhal

Dhalpourie

Dhalpourie is a roti that has been stuffed with a spicy dhal mixture. It's a recipe thats been passed down by my agee (grandmother). It definitely has indian origins.

Its one of my favorite rotis, and its delicious and almost a full meal eaten on its own since it has both flour and dhal. One of my favourite ways to eat this is with cheese melted inside it or with tamarind chutney or anchar. Its most often served with curried channa and alloo, curried chicken and some kind of vegetable talkarie (curried vegetable).

Its a tricky recipe and as with most rotis a skill that develops after repetition. There are tips that only seasoned veteran roti makers know. My mum says to cook the roti almost as soon as you fill the dough with dhal as it will get too soft if it sits. My agee would press the ends of the roti as it cooks so it would cook evenly. And also ensure that your dhal is ground very fine, as big chunks will makes holes in your dough.

 

If there ends up to be less dhal, no worries, just make some pepper roti. That my next absolutely favorite thing next to dhalpourie. Some people make pepper roti with alloo (potato) but to me the dhal version tastes so much better and also healthier as it has dhal.

Honestly I would not be too worried if your first attempt at this looks square with a few holes and fat edges. My first roti was square too!

Cuisine:        Trini-Indian

Type:             Bread

Time:             2 hours
Serves:         6   (Makes 6 dhalpourie)

Skill:              Difficult

Suitable:        Vegetarian, vegan

 

Ingredients:

Filling:

1c uncooked dhal, washed with stones removed

4 garlic cloves minced

½ tsp salt or more to taste

2tsp powdered geera (cumin)

Dough
:

3 tsp baking powder

2 ½ c white flour

½ c whole wheat

½ c or more oil, ghee, butter or a combination 
 

 

Procedure:

 

1. 

   

   Dhal before cooking

   Pick through dry dhal for stones. No one wants to bite down on a stone, so don't skip this step. Rinse dhal and boil until cooked but still firm. Drain and leave to cool.
2. When dhal is cool grind in a food mill, or a blender until fine. Add garlic and geera and salt to dhal and combine. This is your filling for the dhalpourie.
3. For the dough, combine the dry ingredients in a bowl and add water until you get a ball of dough. Knead on a floured surface until you get a smooth ball. Separate into six balls.
4. Fill each ball with around 3 to 4 tablespoons of filling. To do this place the filling in the middle and then close the ends of the dough around the filling.

How to stuff dough with dhal mixture

 

5. Heat the tawa while you roll out the dough. Your tawa or saucepan had to be bigger than the size of the roti.

6. Flour a chowkie or a clean falt surface to roll out dough. While flouring regularly to prevent sticking roll out dough to around 7-8 inches in diameter, or around 1/8^th inch in diameter.

7. Place the oil and butter in a bowl. Taking a napkin, dip it in the oil or butter and the paste the surface with the oil.

8. Place the roti on top the hot tawa. Repeat pasting the surface of the roti with oil.

9. Wait this there are bubbles on top of the roti, flip the roti, while buttering the tawa again.

10. If the roti begins to rise thats great. Press the ends of the roti so that it cooks.

11. Flip again, and fold in half so that the ends cook for a few minutes. Fold in quarters. Take off stove and repeat with rest of dough.