Chana Puri: A Famous Mauritian Street Food With Recipe

Mauritius has a plethora of street foods, and one among them is the famous, Chana Puri! Let’s learn a little on it, and how to prepare at ome with an easy recipe as follows.

What Is Chana Puri?

It is a batter ball, filled with chickpeas or “Chana dal”, like some call it, deep-fried for some minutes, and best served with chili sauce or chutney. Chana Puri is very popular in Mauritius, and the best time to have it is in the afternoon tea. It is not difficult to prepare Chana Puri, but a little time-consuming, and it is the batter that must be well-prepared for a tasty outcome.

Easy Chan Puri Recipe

This recipe is for 25 Chana Puris at least. You will need:

• 120 gram of flour, already sifted.
• 1½ teaspoon of yeast.
• 1 teaspoon of sugar.
• 145 gram of Chana dal or chickpeas.
• A small onion, already diced.
• 1 teaspoon of masala (garam).
• A pinch of salt.
• 1 liter oil, for deep-frying.
• A small potato, already diced. This is optional, as some people do like potatoes in Chana Puri.
• Coriander leaves, already chopped.
• Mint leaves (chopped). This is optional.
• 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder.

Now, follow these steps by steps preparations:

• Add the 1½ teaspoon of yeast in the sifted flour.
• Add the 1 teaspoon of sugar to the sifted flour.
• Add 1 cup of warm water to the sifted flour, and mixed all equally.
• Leave the mixed flour aside, covered, for at least 6 hours. The yeast will do the job to form the batter.
• While the battered flour is left aside for a few hours, wash the Chana dal or chickpeas a couple of times, let them soak in water for at least 4 hours aside.
• In a pressure cooker, add 1 teaspoon of oil, and the diced onions, stir-fry for some seconds.
• Then, add the soaked Chana dal or chickpeas in the pressure cooker.
• Add the 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder.
• Add the diced potato as well (if you like potato).
• Add the 1 teaspoon of garam masala.
• Add the pinch of salt.
• Add 1 cup of water.
• Mix everything, close the pressure cooker, and let cooked for around 9 minutes on medium heat.
• Once 9 minutes have passed, let the Chana dal or chickpeas dry for some minutes.
• Add the chopped coriander and mint leaves, and mix them together with the dried Chana dal or chickpeas.

It is time to fry the Chana Puri…

• Make some small balls with the cooked Chana dal or chickpeas.
• Uncover your flour dough, and add a pinch of salt, and mix.
• Add one by one of the dried Chana dal or chickpeas balls you made, to the dough, and take out to deep-fry for around 4 minutes in a frying pan or wok, half filled with oil.

And voilà, your fried Chan Puris, best served with a spicy chutney or chili sauce.