Phulka Recipe
'Phulka' or 'Fulka' is a traditional, soft and thin Indian bread, that can be made fresh everyday. It is prepared in a unique way, by roasting partly on a griddle and partly on direct flames. It is served hot with any Indian curries, dry vegetables or lentils, and tastes just awesome! It can be prepared a few hours in advance and stored wrapped in a muslin cloth, inside a container with lid (or a casserole), but for best taste, a puffed up 'phulka' has to be eaten roasted hot, straight from the flames! Try eating one with some ghee and pickle!
Ingredients
- Wheat flour (Ata) - 1 cup and some more for dusting
- Salt - 1/4 tsp
- Oil or 'Ghee' - 1/2 tsp and some for greasing
Instructions
- In a kneading bowl, mix the wheat flour with salt, and oil (or 'ghee').
- Add water slowly, little by little, and knead into a soft dough.
- Apply little oil, and cover this dough to keep aside for 10-15 minutes.
- Before you start rolling, heat a griddle.
- Take a 1 & 1/2" portion of the dough and roll it between your palms to make a round.
- Flatten it and dust with some wheat flour on both sides.
- Roll into a circle about 5" big. When rolling, press more along the edges, keep the inside thicker. Use more wheat flour, if needed, for dusting.
- Transfer to the hot griddle and keep on high flame. (Meanwhile you can start rolling the next phulka.)
- As soon as the upper surface starts getting small bubbles, flip to the other side.
- Allow the lower surface to get little black spots.
- Now with one hand move the griddle aside, and with the other hand flip over the 'phulka' and roast directly on flames till it puffs up fully and the lower surface gets some black spots too.
- Use a pair of tongs to remove from the flames on to the griddle first, and then to the rolling board.
- Dab little oil or ghee on both sides.
- Repeat with the rest of the dough.
- Serve hot or store wrapped in a muslin cloth or a moisture absorbing kitchen towel, inside a box with lid.
