Bhatura
from https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/

Bhatura (also known as batoora, bhatoora, batura, or pathora) is a Indian deep fried leavened bread made with flour, yogurt and a leavening agent. It is eaten with chole, a chickpea curry.

There are 2 ways to make bhatura. First method is to ferment the dough and the other one is an instant method where the dough is made, rolled and fried immediately. I have followed the second method here which is quick and needs no resting of the dough.

2 cups all-purpose flour or maida (for wheat flour refer notes)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons semolina or suji
1 tablespoon oil or melted ghee
4 tablespoons curd or yogurt
1 teaspoon Eno (fruit salt) (or 1/2 tsp baking powder & 1/8 tsp baking soda)
1/2 cup warm water (more will be needed)
for frying
1 1/2 cups oil (more or less - about 2 inches deep for frying)

Making dough

In a large mixing bowl, mix together all-purpose flour, semolina and salt. Next add curd and oil. Mix all of these until the oil and yogurt incorporates well into the flour. Then sprinkle eno (or baking powder & baking soda) and give a good stir again.

Pour ¼ cup warm water and begin to mix to form a dough. Add more warm water as needed and make a soft dough.

Knead the dough very well until soft. If using a stand mixer, then knead it on a medium speed for 5 minutes. When you press down the dough, it should dent meaning it is soft.

Smear few drops of oil. If you have used eno then do not rest the dough. You have to make the bhaturas immediately. If you have used baking soda and baking powder, you can cover and rest the dough for 2 to 4 hours in a warm place.

How to make bhatura

Divide the dough to 8 parts to make medium sized or 5 parts to make large bhaturas, Smoothen the balls to make them crack free. If you find cracks just join them and smoothen the dough balls.

Smear oil over the balls and keep them covered.

Grease your rolling surface well and place a dough ball. Pour few drops of oil and flatten it slightly. Begin to roll the bhatura to a oval or round shape as you desire. Do not remove the bhatura from the rolling surface. Instead turn your rolling board and roll the bhaturas. You will see the bhatura keeps bouncing back. So you need to keep rolling them slightly bigger.

Roll them big or small depending on the size of your kadai. You can roll about 5 large bhaturas before you proceed to the next step.

How to fry bhatura

Heat oil in a deep and wide kadai that suits the size of your bhatura. When the oil is hot enough, drop a small piece of the dough in the oil. The dough has to rise well. This is the right temperature for frying.

Gently slide in the bhatura from the sides of the kadai. When it comes half way to the surface, press down gently with a spatula to help it puff up completely. Then check if the bottom part is cooked, crisp and golden then flip it.

Flip it again and fry until crisp and golden.

Remove the bhatura to a plate and then immediately serve with chole, sliced onions & lemon.

Continue to fry the rest while you make the rest of the bhaturas.

Do note that the oil has to be hot enough for the subsequent bhaturas as well.