There’s nothing quite like tearing into a freshly puffed puri - light, airy, golden and just begging to be scooped into a delicious curry. If you’ve ever ordered a thali or a curry in a good restaurant and been served those beautifully puffed breads, you’ll know exactly what I mean. The good news is, making this restaurant-style Puri recipe at home is not only possible, it’s actually quite easy once you know a few key techniques.
In this post, I’ll show you exactly how to get those perfectly puffed puris every time, along with plenty of tips, troubleshooting and everything else you need to know.
What Are Puris?
Puris are deep-fried Indian flatbreads made from a simple dough of flour, water, oil and a little salt. When fried in hot oil, they puff up into light, hollow rounds with a slightly crisp exterior and soft interior.
They’re commonly served across India and beyond, often as part of:
- Breakfast dishes
- Festive meals
- Street food
- Restaurant thalis
Unlike chapatis or naan, puris are fried rather than cooked on a griddle or in a tandoor oven, which gives them their unique texture and flavour.
How Are Puris Served?
Puris are incredibly versatile and can be served with a wide range of dishes.
You’ll often find them paired with:
- Potato curries like aloo sabzi
- Chickpea curries
- Rich meat curries
- Sweet dishes like halwa
In restaurants, puris are usually served hot and fresh, straight from the fryer, which is exactly how they should be enjoyed.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Uses simple ingredients
- Quick to prepare
- Perfectly puffed every time (with the right technique!)
- Great for entertaining
Once you get the hang of it, you’ll be making puris regularly.
Ingredients
Fresh ingredients are key to getting the best flavour from this puri recipe. You’ll find the ingredients listed below, while the precise amounts are provided in the recipe card at the end of the page. For smooth cooking and the best outcome, it’s a good idea to have everything measured and prepared before you begin.
See recipe card for quantities.
- Plain flour (or whole wheat flour)
- Salt
- Vegetable oil or ghee
- Water
- Oil for deep frying
Step by step photos
Below, you’ll see step-by-step photographs to guide you through this puri recipe. At the bottom of the page, you’ll also find the full recipe card, which includes the complete list of ingredients and written instructions in an easy, printable format.
- Step 1: In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt and oil or ghee.
- Step 2: Gradually add water, you may not need it all and knead into a firm dough. This is important. Softer dough won’t puff properly.
- Step 3: Knead for about 5–7 minutes until smooth. Only add enough water to make a firm dough. When there is no more flour in the bowl and you have a solid dough ball, you have added enough water.
- Step 4: Cover the dough ball with a damp cloth and let it rest for 15–20 minutes. This relaxes the gluten and makes rolling easier.
- Step 5: Start rolling the dough flat on a clean work surface. Roll it out into a smooth dough sheet that is about 4mm thick.
- Step 6: Don’t roll them too thin as the puris need a bit of thickness to puff.
- Step 7: Using a round cutter, cut out your puris. You can cut either large or small puris. You can also roll out the remaining dough again to make more puris. This photo will help you see how thick the dough sheet is.
- Step 8: Heat oil in a deep pan or wok to around 180°C (350°F). If you don’t have an oil thermometer, drop a small piece of dough in. If it rises quickly, the oil is ready.
- Step 9: Carefully slide a puri into the hot oil. It should sink briefly, then rise. Gently press it with a slotted spoon—this helps it puff up.
- Step 10: Once puffed and lightly golden, flip and cook the other side. Remove and drain on kitchen paper.Serve immediately. Puris are best served hot and fresh.
Variations
Following are a few variations you can try. Feel free to experiment.
Whole Wheat Puris: Use whole wheat flour for a more traditional flavour.
Masala Puris: Add spices like chilli powder, cumin seeds and ajwain (carom) seeds
Spinach Puris: Blend spinach into the dough for colour and flavour.
Sweet Puris: Add a little sugar and serve with sweet dishes.
Useful Equipment
You don’t need anything fancy:
- Mixing bowl
- Rolling pin
- Deep frying pan or wok
- Slotted spoon
- Kitchen paper
Optional but helpful:
- Thermometer for oil temperature
Storage and Reheating
Puris are best eaten fresh, but you can store them.
Refrigerating: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Freezing: Not ideal, but possible. It’s best to freeze the rolled out puris before frying in layers with parchment paper. Then defrost and fry.
Reheating:
Reheat in:
- Oven at 180°C (350°F) for a few minutes
- Hot pan briefly
Avoid microwaving as they go soft.
Top Tip
The oil temperature is everything.
If the oil is too cool → puris won’t puff
If too hot → they burn quickly
Aim for consistent medium-high heat and you’ll get perfect results.
FAQ
Yes. You can prepare it a few hours in advance and keep it covered with a damp cloth.
Absolutely. It’s actually more traditional.
It helps create a softer texture and better puff.
Not really. You won’t get the same puff or texture.
Yes. Let it cool, strain and reuse.
A neutral oil such as vegetable or sunflower oil.
This is the most common issue.
Possible causes are your dough is too thin, the oil isn't hot enough, you rolled the puris too thin and/or you didn't press the puris gently with a slotted spoon during frying.
The oil is not hot enough. The puris are absorbing oil instead of frying quickly.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are some of my favorite dishes to serve with puris.
Have you tried this puri recipe?
If yes, please give it a star rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I love receiving your feedback and I’m sure other readers of my blog do too. Thank you.
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Easy Puri Recipe
Ingredients
- 250g (2 cups) plain flour (or whole wheat flour
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp oil or ghee
- Approx. 150ml water
- Oil for deep frying
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt and oil or ghee.
- Gradually add water, you may not need it all and knead into a firm dough. This is important. Softer dough won’t puff properly.
- Knead for about 5–7 minutes until smooth. Only add enough water to make a firm dough. When there is no more flour in the bowl and you have a solid dough ball, you have added enough water.
- Cover the dough ball with a damp cloth and let it rest for 15–20 minutes. This relaxes the gluten and makes rolling easier.
- Start rolling the dough flat on a clean work surface. Roll it out into a smooth dough sheet that is about 4mm thick. Don’t roll them too thin as the puris need a bit of thickness to puff.
- Using a round cutter, cut out your puris. You can cut either large or small puris. You can also roll out the remaining dough again to make more puris.
- Heat oil in a deep pan or wok to around 180°C (350°F). If you don’t have an oil thermometer, drop a small piece of dough in. If it rises quickly, the oil is ready.
- Carefully slide a puri into the hot oil. It should sink briefly, then rise.
Gently press it with a slotted spoon—this helps it puff up. Once puffed and lightly golden, flip and cook the other side. Remove and drain on kitchen paper. - Serve immediately. Puris are best served hot and fresh.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 120Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 137mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 3gSugar: 0gProtein: 4g
Dave says
I used to love Paratha's also very fattening! I will be trying these perhaps though with a low fat curry to compensate the calories lol !
Dan Toombs says
Great to hear Dave. They are worth the extra few minutes on the bike!
Debs @ The Spanish Wok says
Hi Dan,
My husband always ordered prawn puri in the UK. However, now we live in Spain he's been craving it for many years as none of the few indian restaurants here serve it! Problem is I've never tasted it as I don't eat prawns and so cannot begin the recreate it for him. Any chance you can provide a recipe please?
Dan Toombs says
Leave it with me Debs. I've got the most amazing prawn puri recipes. Just have to type it up and photograph it. Will be on my site shortly.
Debs @ The Spanish Wok says
Thanks Dan, looking forward to it.
Mina Joshi says
Great looking puris. I too prefer to make them when entertaining as they look and taste good even when they get cold.
Dan Toombs says
Thank you Mina. Puris are quite nice. It's just getting down to make them LOL.
Hilary Elliott says
Hi Dan
Found your website by chance and love it, we are from the midlands therefore have some of the best Indian restaurants! But we moved to Spain 10 yrs ago. I have tried your Curry Sauce, Jalfrazi, Bhu a and Rogan Josh 10/10 delicious. I am going to try your puri recipe as I love prawn puri but cannot find your recipe for this can you point me I. The right direction please?
Dan Toombs says
There you go Hilary. Enjoy. I love this one. 🙂 https://greatcurryrecipes.net/2012/07/11/an-easy-and-tasty-prawn-puri-recipe/
Glyn Tompkinson says
thank you for this website - so many fantastic recipes - I am working my way through them - cannot recommend this site enough
Dan Toombs says
Hi Glyn
Thank you very much. Keep in touch and happy cooking.
Dan
Gena Domek says
What can be used for”chapatti flour”please as I don’t have access to a speciality store
Dan Toombs says
Hi Gena
Chapatti flour is a mix of plain (all purpose) flour and whole wheat flour. 50/50 mix.
Thanks,
Dan
Claire Wright says
Can I make these in advance of a dinner party so I’m not frying them when we have guests? Thanks
Dan Toombs says
Hi Claire.
You could try cooking them in advance and warming them gently in the microwave, I think that would work.
thanks
Dan
Nigel Betterton says
Hi, can you use normal self raising flour?
Dan Toombs says
I have never tried but give it a go as I can't see it hurting.
Thanks
Dan
Chris says
Do you fill them like a naan? Place the filling in before rolling?
Dan Toombs says
Place the filling in once they are cooked.
Thanks
Dan
Renu says
My puree are very oily and don't know how to solve the problem.What am I doing wrong plz.
Dan Toombs says
You could try using a bit less oil? Just experiment a bit.
Thanks
Dan
Colin says
Lovely Jubbly top skin chef. Prawn patia puri my FAV! Great with curried keema lamb
Mince and red onion. Also nice with my deep flavoured keema lamb balti,with extra red peppers..
Dan Toombs says
Thanks very much, that all sounds great.
Dan
Colin says
@Dan Toombs, Hi there Dan, as you have notice, prices have shot through the roof to go out for a curry now. Try my new invention. Your puri bread, and pieces of lobster cooked in your puri sauce, only add black mustard seeds,small amount of tamarind sauce fresh coriander. Wow,, had it with 2 small red chillies no seeds LOVED IT. HAD it in London.
Cheers dan.