snack · festive · radha-ashtami
Radhaballabhi
Bengal's festive stuffed puri — a soft maida-atta dough wrapped around spiced urad dal, fried until it balloons. Hing carries the whole flavour, so there is no onion or garlic to miss. The roasted saunf-jeera-mace powder is what separates a real Radhaballabhi from an ordinary dal puri.
Cook along · 15 steps
Method
- 1
Make the dough: Combine maida, atta, ghee and salt in a bowl. Mix well, then gradually add water and knead into a smooth, pliable dough. Cover with a moist cloth and rest for 30 minutes.
- 2
Soak the dal: Rinse the urad dal and soak it in 1 cup water for 4–5 hours or overnight. Drain well.
- 3
Prepare the spice mix: Dry-roast fennel seeds, cumin seeds and dry red chillies over low heat until aromatic, taking care not to burn them.
- 4
Add mace: Switch off the heat, add the mace and stir. Allow the spices to cool, then grind them into a fine powder.
- 5
Grind the dal: Add soaked urad dal and ginger to a grinder with 3 tbsp water. Grind to a semi-coarse paste.
- 6
Start the stuffing: Heat ½ tbsp ghee in a heavy pan. Keep the heat low or switch it off and add hing.
- 7
Cook the dal: Add the ground urad dal paste and mix well over low heat.
- 8
Season: Add sugar and salt, then continue stirring constantly for 3–4 minutes until the mixture thickens and starts gathering together.
- 9
Add spices: Mix in the prepared spice powder. Check the seasoning, switch off the heat and allow the stuffing to cool until warm.
- 10
Shape the stuffing: Divide the cooled mixture into small-to-medium balls and keep them covered.
- 11
Divide the dough: Divide the rested dough into 10–12 balls. Keep them covered with a moist cloth.
- 12
Stuff the puris: Flatten one dough ball, place a stuffing ball in the centre, bring the edges together and seal well. Remove any excess dough and ensure there are no cracks.
- 13
Roll: Flatten the stuffed dough gently with your fingers, then roll it into a medium-thin puri. Keep the prepared puris covered so they do not dry out.
- 14
Fry: Heat oil over medium heat. Slide a puri gently into the medium-hot oil. Once it rises and begins puffing, gently nudge it with a spoon. Fry both sides until light golden, pressing the edges gently so they cook evenly.
- 15
Drain and serve: Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Serve the Radhaballabhi hot or warm.
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