Chef Sanjeev Kapoor’s fool-proof Instant Bhatura Recipe and and 5 common mistakes you must avoid

The winter mornings and a plateful of deep-fried treats with a side of spicy curry make it even more pleasurable. And when it comes to deep-fried treats, a light and puffed-up bhatura is all we need. While visiting a dhaba or a restaurant on a winter morning can be a challenging task, it is best to make it at home. In a recent YouTube video, celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor shared a simple and easy recipe for Instant Bhatura, which can be made without any resting or fermentation of the dough. Take a look at the recipe and also read the remedies for five common mistakes people commit while making bhatura at home.

Ingredients required: 1 cup refined flour (maida), 1 large potato, boiled, peeled and mashed, 3 tbsps yogurt, oil for greasing + for deep frying
Method: Take refined flour in a large bowl. Add potato, salt and yogurt, mix and knead into a soft dough. Cover with a damp muslin cloth and set aside 10-15 mins. Divide the dough into equal portions and shape each portion into a ball. Grease the worktop and each dough ball with some oil. Roll out each ball into a disc of medium thickness. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai. Gently slide in the discs, one at a time and deep fry till each puffs up and turns light golden. Drain on an absorbent paper. Arrange the bhaturas on a serving plate, serve hot with chole, onion wedges, lemon wedges and green chilli.

While maida is the key ingredient, using it alone can make your bhature chewy or too oily. The trick is to mix in a bit of sooji and curd. This gives the dough structure and helps the bhature puff up beautifully.

Making bhatura is a blend of art and science. And when we talk about the science side of it, it is important to let dough rest for at least 1-2 hours or let the dough ferment, if using yeast. If you start frying immediately, the bhaturas turn dense, chewy and won’t puff well.

While kneading dough made with refined flour, one has to be careful with water. Adding too much water to bring the dough together might result in a runny or sticky dough absorbing excess oil. It is suggested to add water little by little to get a soft, slightly firm dough that holds its shape.

Rolling thin rotis is always appreciated, but when it comes to bhatura, rolling it too thin is not the solution. If the bhatura is rolled too thin, it won’t puff. If it’s rolled unevenly, it puffs only in parts. Hence, it is best to roll bhatura of medium thickness with even pressure to get the right puffed ones.

To get the puffed bhatura, you need to have the right amount of oil in the pan, which is heated at the right temperature. Warm or moderately hot oil will soak the bhatura, making it oily and heavy. As per experts, the oil must be properly hot, a small dough ball should rise immediately. It is suggested to keep the temperature between 320°F (160°C) and 375°F (190°C). The oil should be very hot, but not smoking. And to make sure you are going right, invest in a kitchen thermometer and make it easy.

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