Bengali Luchi Recipe: Bengali Luchi is a popular food in West Bengal and Bangladesh. It is a fried, puffed bread made from all-purpose flour or maida. It is often served as a breakfast or snack item and is typically paired with aloo dum (a spicy potato curry), Cholar dal (split Bengal gram lentil), or other vegetarian or non-vegetarian dishes.
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To make Luchi, all-purpose flour is mixed with a small amount of salt, sugar, and vegetable oil or ghee and then kneaded into a smooth, firm dough. The dough is then divided into small portions, which are rolled out into circular discs using a rolling pin.
The discs are then deep-fried in hot oil until they puff up and turn golden brown in color. The key to making fluffy and crispy Luchis is to use fresh ingredients and ensure that the oil is hot enough for frying. Luchis can be eaten right out of the fryer or put in a container that won’t let air in so they can be eaten later.
Bengali Luchi Recipe
Luchi is a deep-fried flatbread that’s popular in Bengali cuisine, and it’s usually served as a breakfast or snack item. Here’s a recipe with step-by-step instructions:
Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp oil or ghee
- 3/4 cup warm water
- Oil, for deep frying
Instructions:
- In a mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt.
- Add the oil or ghee to the flour mixture and mix well with your hands until the mixture becomes crumbly.
- Gradually add the warm water, mixing with your hands until the dough comes together and becomes smooth. The dough should be soft and pliable.
- Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rest for 15-20 minutes.
- After the dough has rested, knead it again for a few minutes to make it even smoother.
- Divide the dough into small balls of equal size. Depending on the size of the balls, you should get around 12-14 balls.
- Heat the oil for deep frying in a deep pan or kadhai over medium-high heat.
- Take a ball of dough and flatten it with your hands or with a rolling pin to make a circular disc. The disc should be around 4-5 inches in diameter and 1/4 inch thick.
- When the oil is hot, carefully slide the flattened dough disc into the oil. Use a slotted spoon or spatula to gently press down on the luchi, so that it puffs up.
- Fry the luchi until it turns golden brown, then flip it over and fry the other side until it’s also golden brown.
- Use the slotted spoon or spatula to remove the luchi from the oil, and place it on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil.
- Repeat the process with the remaining dough balls.
- Serve the luchi hot with your choice of side dish, such as potato curry, chana masala, or chutney.
Tips:
- To ensure that the luchi puffs up, make sure the oil is hot enough before you add the dough disc. You can test the temperature of the oil by dropping a small piece of dough into it – if it immediately rises to the surface and starts sizzling, the oil is ready.
- If the luchi is not puffing up, gently press down on it with a slotted spoon or spatula while it’s in the oil. This will create steam and help it puff up.
- If you’re not planning to eat the luchi right away, you can store them in an airtight container for up to a day. Reheat them in the oven or on a tawa (griddle) before serving.
- For a healthier version of luchi, you can use whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour. However, the texture and taste will be slightly different.