Missi Puri

Perfectly textured, crispy on the outside, and pillowy-soft on the inside, these Missi Masala Puri are pure bliss in every bite. As you tear into the golden puris and dip them into the aloo sabzi or boondi raita, each mouthful becomes a symphony of textures and flavors nourishing the taste buds and the soul alike!

What is Puri/Poori?

Poori is the name given to a disc-like puffy bread made with wheat flour dough. It is a deep-fried Indian dish loved for its texture and flavor and the beautiful golden hue that makes it look so irresistible.

Many versions of poori recipes are famous, like

• Methi poori,
• Masala poori,
• Palak poori, and
• Missi Poori.

Unlike other puris, Missi poori has a slightly coarser and crunchier texture.

What is Missi Puri?

Missi poori is a flatbread made with wheat flour, chickpea flour, semolina, and a blend of aromatic and flavorful spices. Whole spices like carom seeds, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and dried fenugreek leaves lend a wonderful symphony of flavors and aroma.

Since this spiced poori is prepared with a blend of flours, it keeps one complete for an extended time.

Reasons You’ll ♡ Missi Puri 

Here is what you will love about this recipe where each morsel is infused with loads of flavor —

• Soft, crispy and fluffy
• Wholesome, delicious, and addictive
• Perfect blend of spices and flavors
• Can be relished for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or even as a snack, and
• Can be prepared in large batches. 

The best part is that the Missi Puri recipe is a great traveling option. So, cook these easiest masala pooris for vacation next time you’re out of town. It’s so versatile that it can be devoured on its own or with any sabzi.

Kids love them when packed in their tiffin boxes, and mums love them as they are always in demand, even by the picky eaters!

Missi Puri Ingredient List

Wheat Flour — An indispensable ingredient for this recipe, wheat flour gives structure to the missi masala pooris, besides binding the other ingredients in the dough.

Besan/Chickpea flour — This ingredient lends a nutty flavor and structure to the delicious Missi puris. Fresh besan is used for best results.

Sooji/ semolina — Added to the poori dough for a delectable crispiness.

Red chili powder — Adds a delightful spiciness to the missi puris.

Haldi/ turmeric powder — Adds a hint of a beautiful yellow hue to the missi pooris. 

Amchur/ mango powder — Lends slight tanginess to the missi poori and elevates the flavor.

Dhania powder/ coriander powder — The earthy flavor of this spice adds loads of flavor to the recipe.

Kasoori methi/ Dried fenugreek leaves — When added to the missi poori dough, dried fenugreek leaves lend a lovely characteristic flavor to the pooris. 

Jeera/ Cumin seeds — The roasted jeera powder’s warm, earthy flavor hypes the recipe’s delectability.

Ajwain/ carom seeds — The peppery flavor of the ajwain boosts the flavor and aids digestion.

Ghee — Renders a rich, nutty flavor to the missi poori. 

Missi Puri Recipe Tips and Variations

Balance the ratio of flours — Maintaining the flour ratio is crucial for this recipe, as any alteration will lead to a different texture and affect the delectability of Missi Poori. Therefore, keep the ratio as mentioned in the recipe. More besan in the dough tends to make the pooris hard and heavy, so do not double up on it. I prefer to keep the ratio of flour and besan as 2: ½ cup. Maintaining the ratio will result in the perfect crunch and texture.

Addition of Sooji — Sooji is added to the dough for two reasons –

• To yield crispy pooris, and
• For non-greasy pooris.

Ghee is a must — Ghee is the essential ingredient in the missi puri recipe, rendering it the desired crispiness. So, please do not skip it.

The texture of the dough — It is essential to knead the dough medium soft, non-sticky, and slightly tight/ stiff to the touch. If the dough is soft, it will not hold the shape when frying, and the missi puri will not puff up nicely.

They will also soak up too much oil and lose their texture. If you end up with loose and sticky dough, do not panic. Just add a tablespoon of flour to the dough and knead it again until it reaches the desired texture. 

Crunchy flavor with onions — Finely chopped onions can be added to the missi puri to add flavor and an extra crunch. Ensure the onions are finely chopped and well blended while rolling the dough. Otherwise, the larger pieces of onions will form cuts in the rolled poori discs, and do not let the pooris puff up during frying. Also, add less water if you add onions as they will tend to release their water when contacted with the salt in the dough. This can make your dough loose, sticky, and difficult to roll.

Avoid dusting pooris with flour — Please apply oil to the dough ball before rolling, and do not dust your pooris with flour to prevent them from sticking to the rolling pin. If you use flour, the particles will burn in the oil, making it too smoky. The burnt remnants of the flour will spoil the oil and will stick to the next batch of pooris. 

Perfect thickness of the pooris — Keep the missi masala pooris medium thick when rolling, as they will not puff up while frying if they are too thin. They will turn out like papads if they are too thin. 

Preventing the pooris from drying — If you have rolled up the pooris discs to fry them all at once, cover them with a kitchen towel to prevent them from drying out. 

Spices for the ultimate flavors —  The irresistible deliciousness of these Missi puris comes from the various spices that are added to the dough. Like, the roasted cumin seeds render an earthy flavor that enhances the overall taste of the pooris. Besides aiding digestion, Carrom seeds (ajwain) add a strong and peppery flavor to the pooris. 

Versatile pooris —  This masala Missi puri recipe can be adapted to different flavors according to individual choice. You can add achar/ pickle masala to turn them into achari pooris. Add pureed spinach to create palak-wali pooris! 

Pooris not puffing up? There are several reasons for the pooris not puffing up during frying. Either the dough was not kneaded well, or the oil was not hot enough. You can fix this by kneading the dough for a little while and heating the oil for a little longer. Also, while frying the pooris, gently press them down with the slotted spoon, which will help them puff up happily!

Regulate the oil temperature as required —Cooling the oil slightly after frying the pooris in batches will help to maintain an optimal temperature. For this, turn down the flame to the lowest setting after frying a couple of batches of pooris. You can again increase the flame as needed during frying. This way, you can regulate the temperature and keep the oil medium-hot. 

Fry in smaller batches — When making a larger batch of pooris, fry them in batches. Refrain from over-crowding the kadai/ pan. Frying them in smaller batches will help them puff up nicely and brown up evenly, resulting in the perfectly fried pooris!

Serving suggestions — These Missi pooris, packed with lip-smacking flavors from the spices, can be rolled and devoured as is. They are so soft and flavorful! You can pair them with aloo ki sabzi for a comforting meal. 

Aloo sabzi and Missi puri are like a match made in heaven! You could also serve them with the creamy boondi raita and delicious homemade pickles for a completely divine culinary experience!

Let me know what you think!

So, are you craving a plateful of spiced and flavor-packed freshly prepared Missi pooris?

Then join me now, and let’s prepare a batch of fluffy golden puris together, which are every gourmet’s delight!

Should you make this Missi Puri, please let me know your thoughts by sharing your comment below. And don’t forget to share it with your family and friends.

CRAVING FOR MORE, TRY MY OTHER FLAVOR-PACKED BREAD RECIPES LIKE –