Dholl Puri

Dholl Puri

Mauritius's most iconic street food: a paper-thin flatbread made from wheat flour and ground yellow split peas (dholl), wrapped around bean curry, pickle and hot chilli chutney. Traditionally rolled, slapped and griddle-cooked by street vendors in seconds.

Prep

90 min

Cook

30 min

Total

120 min

Serves

8 puris (serves 4)

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •300 g (10½ oz) plain (all-purpose) flour, Mauritian vendors use atta or maida; a 50/50 blend works at home
• •150 g (5¼ oz) yellow split peas (dholl), soaked 4 hours
• •5 g (1 tsp) salt
• •5 g (1 tsp) ground turmeric, for the dough
• •60 ml (¼ cup) vegetable oil, plus extra for brushing and cooking
• •180 ml (¾ cup) warm water, approximate; adjust by feel
• •400 g (14 oz) canned butter beans, drained; the traditional curry filling
• •1 small onion, finely chopped
• •2 cloves garlic, crushed
• •10 g (1 tbsp) fresh ginger, grated
• •5 g (2 tsp) ground cumin
• •5 g (2 tsp) ground coriander
• •2 g (1 tsp) chilli powder, adjust to taste
• •3 red red bird's eye chillies, for chilli water (rassa); adjust to heat tolerance
• •30 ml (2 tbsp) white vinegar or lime juice, for the pickle / satini
• •50 g (1½ oz) cucumber or carrot, finely diced, for achard-style pickle

Steps

1. 1 Drain the soaked yellow split peas and grind them to a smooth, slightly coarse paste with a little water (a mincer or food processor works). The dholl paste should be damp but not wet.
2. 2 Make the dough: combine flour, salt, turmeric and 30 ml oil. Add warm water gradually and knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Rest 30 minutes under a damp cloth.
3. 3 Divide dough into 8 equal balls (about 65 g each). Flatten each, spoon 1 heaped tablespoon of dholl paste into the centre, gather the edges up and seal tightly into a stuffed ball. Roll gently into a disc roughly 12 cm / 5 in across.
4. 4 Lightly oil the work surface and the rolling pin. Roll each stuffed disc, flipping and re-oiling as needed, into a very thin round about 22-25 cm / 9-10 in across — thin enough that you can almost see the bench through it.
5. 5 Heat a dry tawa or heavy cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Lay a puri on the hot surface; when small bubbles form (about 30 seconds) flip it. Brush the cooked side with oil, flip again, brush the other side. Cook a further 1-2 minutes total until pale gold with light brown spots. Stack and keep warm.
6. 6 Make the bean curry (curry de haricots): heat 15 ml oil in a small pan, sauté onion until soft, add garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander and chilli powder and fry 30 seconds until fragrant.
7. 7 Add drained butter beans, 100 ml water and salt. Simmer 8-10 minutes until thickened; lightly mash about a third of the beans to thicken the gravy. Keep warm.
8. 8 Make the chilli water (rassa): blend the bird's eye chillies with 60 ml water and a pinch of salt until smooth. Strain if a smoother pour is preferred. MAURITIANS MAKE THIS VERY HOT — start with 1 chilli and scale up.
9. 9 Make a quick satini/pickle: combine diced cucumber or carrot with vinegar, a pinch of salt and a little chilli for a simple achard substitute.
10. 10 To serve: place a puri on a square of foil or paper, spoon a line of bean curry down the middle, add pickle and drizzle with chilli water. Fold the sides in and roll into a tight parcel. Eat immediately, with hands.