Luchi
These crispy, flaky, light, and puffed luchis are perfect for breakfasts and other feasts.
- Cooking time1 hour
- Calories250kcal
Luchis are made from finely milled flour (maida), unlike puris, which are usually made from whole-wheat flour (atta) in several parts of the sub-continent. What makes a good luchi is its flaky interior and crispy exterior. Rolling perfectly round luchis is a skill and it is absolutely alright if you don't get it right the first time. Like every skill, this too develops with time and effort. Yet, what remains unchanged is the versatility of this dish—you can pair it with meat, dal, or even with a simple potato curry. In fact, there are many Bengali households where luchi is eaten just with sugar.
Ingredients
- 200 g maida (all-purpose flour)
- 4 g salt
- 10 g sugar
- 15 g vegetable oil/ghee
- 100–110 g hot water
- vegetable oil for deep-frying
Method
- Take maida in a mixing bowl, with salt, sugar, and oil/ghee. Distribute the oil evenly so that a fistful of flour when pressed together retains its shape.
- Add water and knead the flour for 10 minutes. The dough may seem a little tacky at first, but it will come together in the end. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 20 equal portions (of about 16 g each). Rest these again for 10 minutes to relax the dough.
- When you are ready to roll the luchis out, heat vegetable oil in a kadai for deep-frying.
- Oil your rolling surface and rolling pin, and roll the luchis into flat discs of about 10 cm diameter.
- Carefully lower the luchi (one at a time if you are a beginner) into hot oil (oil temp: ~220°C). Press down gently and rotate to help it puff. Flip, and fry the other side.
- Drain from the oil and serve hot with begun bhaja, mutton kosha, or anything you like.