Dahitra Puri is a popular Surti Gujarati recipe served with Shrikhand on a special occasions like wedding. Dahitra is kind of fried biscuits, flaky, mouth melting, a traditional semi-sweet dessert recipe prepared mainly with maida or all purpose flour, deep fried in ghee / oil and served with flavored yogurt known as Shrikhand. I enjoy them not only with shrikhand but love with my Indian tea (Masala Chai) as well.
Traditionally, the recipe begins with preparing a light dough from all purpose flour with ghee(Clarified Butter), Dahi (Yogurt) and baking powder. Then the dough is shaped into a small flat balls followed by deep frying in clarified butter but I usually prefer to fry in mix of oil+Ghee. Most vendors fry them in Dalda Ghee(Vegetable Shortening.
Below is the video instructions to prepare Dahitra but I have slightly made some changes in the recipe to make Dahitra the best so I recommend to follow the written recipe. But to get the idea of steps, video will be helpful. In my new recipe, I have reduced the amount of Ghee and Sugar which helps to make the Dahitra perfect and no need to bake again in the oven to make crispy.
The Dahitra texture is consist of two key elements, the top layer has a smooth surface and in the inside it has rough flaky texture. And to achieve that texture, I recommend to keep few tips in mind. Here are some important tips and suggestions for a perfect flaky Dahitra recipe. First, kneading the dough light is very critical for this recipe. Make sure to not knead the dough with light hand pressure. Second, while frying the Dahitra, make sure the flame is in low heat. Also i would recommend to use ghee or clarified butter in the place of oil for deep frying. The color of the fried Dahitra is kind of pinkish, not brown.
Dahitra Puri
Ingredients
- 1½ cup 250 gm maida / plain flour / refined flour / all purpose flour
- 2 tbsp sugar or as per your taste
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp Baking Soda
- water as required, may not need water ¼ cup approx
- ¼ cup 50 gm ghee / clarified butter
- ¼ cup 65 gm curd / yogurt
- Ghee or oil for deep frying
Instructions
- First, in a large mixing bowl take 1½ cup maida sugar, tsp baking soda, powder. combine well.
- Now add ¼ cup ghee and crumble the mixture.
- Further add ¼ cup curd and combine well.
- Additionally add little water as needed and start to make dough without kneading.
- Cover with moist cloth and rest for 15 minutes.
- After the dough has rested for 15 minutes, slightly knead the dough.
- Pinch a small ball sized dough and make ball.
- Make a dent at the centre with the help of thumb.
- Deep fry in medium hot oil on low flam till the balls turn golden pinkish and crisp.
- Allow them to cool and store in a air tight container.
- Dahitra has a shelf-life of about a month or can stay longer in store in a cool dry place.
- Serve with Shrikhand or enjoy as tea time snack.
There is a one more delicacy known as Badusha or Balushahi which is like an Indian version of Donut. The recipe remains the same but the fried Dahitras are soaked then in the sugar syrup to make them sweet.
