Mauritian Dhal Puri Recipe | Video

Dholl puri is a popular street food from Mauritius. It is a flatbread stuffed with lightly spiced yellow split peas/ chana dal. This protein packed dish is usually served with a bean or vegetable curry and various other toppings.

This is a very filling dish that is quite easy to make. I have included tips and tricks to make the best dal puri recipe right at home. Don't forget to check the detailed video on how to make dhol puri.

Mauritius Food

In my quest to ‘the explore Southern Hemisphere’ cuisines, I virtually visited Brazil by making Vegan Feijoada and Uruguay with Uruguayan bean salad. Here are 24 delicious dishes to try from Southern Hemisphere.

There were quite a few countries to choose from like Argentina, Chile, Australia. But I finally chose this beautiful African island. About one-third of African continent is in the southern hemisphere which is about 10-12 countries.

Mauritius is an island nation in the Indian Ocean. Its cuisine is widely influenced by Creole, French, Chinese and Indian cuisines. There are also a lot of dishes that are unique to the island.

In the 19th century many Indian workers migrated to Mauritius and brought there dishes with them. Traces of both North and South Indian culinary traditions are seen in Mauritius. The dishes have evolved over the years with the inclusion of Mauritian flavors and have changed quite significantly from the original.

About the recipe

Dhall puri or dal puri or chana puri is a popular street food in Mauritius. Some believe that the origins of this dish is probably from India. Bhojpuri speaking Indian workers might have introduced this dish to the country more than 100 years ago.

No wonder it looks so similar to Indian stuffed flatbread like this Navratan Paratha. The recipe has won the hearts of natives and tourists alike since it is both delicious and filling. There are several versions of this kind of flatbread in many African and Caribbean countries.

Yellow split peas or chana dal are cooked, ground to a powder and then used as the stuffing in these daal roti. The outer covering is an easy to make dough with just flour and lentil cooking water.

On the streets of Mauritius, these dal puri are sold in pairs wrapped in a paper to take away along with a soda. Eat them as is or wrap them around a variety of vegetables or pickle vegetables and chutneys. Dholl puri is also great to serve with sweet dishes like kheer or halwa.

Ingredients

For the details of the exact quantities of each ingredient and the list of ingredients needed, check the printable recipe card below.

Here is what you need to make this delicious dholl puri. Recipe requires just a few pantry staple ingredients.

• For the dough:
  • All purpose flour - I also add some whole-wheat flour or atta to add some fiber and nutrition.
  • Lentil cooking water is usually used to make the dough, but you can also use plain water.
  • Salt
  • Oil
• For the stuffing:
  • Chana dal aka split yellow peas - make sure to pick out any debris before using.
  • Turmeric
  • Ground Cumin
  • Salt
  • Red chili powder or ground pepper - though not traditional, these will add a nice hint of spice to the recipe.

Instructions

For the detailed instructions on how to make the recipe with exact timings, check the printable recipe card below.

Here is how to make dhal puri:

If you have time, soak chana dal for 30 minutes. This will expedite the cooking process. Otherwise, simply rinse and drain the lentils.

Combine lentils with water in a medium size sauce pan. Bring to a boil on high flame. Lower the heat and simmer the lentils until they are very tender but not mushy.

Drain and reserve the cooking liquid. Spread the cooked dal on a wide plate and let cool completely. Once cooled, grind to a smooth powder along with ground cumin and salt. Divide the mixture into small lemon size balls, about 12~15. Set aside.

While the lentils are cooling, make the dough. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt and turmeric. Add the reserved dal cooking water and oil. Mix and knead until a soft, pliable dough forms. Add more water, if needed. Cover and set aside for 15~20 minutes.

Divide the dough into 12~15 equal size pieces. Flatten them out into a flat disc and make a depression in the middle. Place the dough ball in the depression and bring the dough ends over the filling encasing it.

Gently flatten it. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Coat the stuffed dough with flour to avoid sticking together. On a lightly floured work surface, roll each stuffed dough ball into a thin roti - the thinner the better.

Place the stuffed roti on a preheated griddle or tawa. Cook on medium-high flame until lightly golden and tiny brown spots form on both sides. Brush with oil while cooking. Repeat with the remaining dough and dal filling.

Serving & Storing

You can serve these Mauritian dal puri with any vegetable curry. In the photos here, you see spicy cabbage dry curry with carrot and green peas. This paneer curry with beans is also a great side dish for these.

Dholl puri taste perfect when served warm or at room temperature. If you have any leftovers, then let them cool completely before wrapping them in foil. Then store them in the fridge for up to 2 days or freeze them for up to 1 month.

To reheat, wrap the flatbread in damp paper-towel and microwave until heated through.

Expert Tips

• Soaking the split pea lentils for about 30 minutes expedites the cooking process.
• I usually add about 1 cup of whole-wheat flour or atta to 2 cups of all purpose flour to make dholl puri. This adds some fiber and nutrition to the flatbread.
• Add a pinch of red chili powder or ground pepper to add spice to the filling.
• Make sure that the lentils are completely cooled before blending. If not, the mixture might become pasty instead of a powder. This will make stuffing dholl puri difficult. So, take your time and allow the lentils to cool.
• If you are in a hurry to cool the lentils, then spread them out on a kitchen towel and place a small fan next to it.
• Try to roll the flatbread as thin as possible for the best texture.

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Here are a few more delicious Street food recipes from around the world:

I love hearing from you!! If you’ve tried this and liked it, then don't forget to let me know. Give a star rating and let me know in the comments below. Also tag me in your creations on Instagram @cooks_hideout. I love sharing photos when people make my recipes. You can use the hashtag #cookshideout too.

Recipe Card