Bitter Gourd Peel Puris – Unexpectedly Delicious & Just as Nutritious!

It’s a lovely Sunday morning, and you get up late. Rubbing your eyes, you make your way down to the dining table to see what’s for breakfast. And you smile ear-to-ear because there are puris with dum aloo on the menu, and that’s your favorite breakfast option!?

Hold up, there’s a twist to these puris. A healthy, wholesome twist that no one would have imagined before. There are bitter gourd peels in these puris.?

Say what??

You’re skeptical, but then you take a bite. It’s puri, after all.?

And yum! It’s unexpectedly delightful. And healthy, too!

Aren’t puris the all-time favorite staple in every Indian household? This round, puffy Indian bread gives you the wholesomeness of wheat, with a delicious deep-fried taste. When served with its best sidekick dum aloo sabzi, it packs a punch of flavors and hearty satiety that no toast-butter-jam trio could ever dream of!

But how do you make puris a healthier and more ideal option for more frequent consumption? You sure can’t skip the deep frying bit, that’s what gives its magical taste! Air fryers? Naah.

Here’s an interesting way to add a healthy twist to your puris and turn them into a nutritious, mouth-watering breakfast option. The bitter gourd peel!?

Shocked? Well, before you find this suggestion so absurd that you quit reading further, we recommend you stay put for some seriously healthy puri-making recipes.?

So where were we? Bitter gourd peel puris, yes! You can – and should - prepare piping hot bitter gourd puris for your breakfast or brunch and enjoy them with that yummy dum aloo sabzi.

Why do you need to try this out-of-the-box recipe?

Because bitter gourd puris pack a serious health punch.

Who knew puris with bitter gourd peels was even a thing? Now you do.?

Bitter gourd puri is an intriguing way to introduce a plethora of nutrients into your family’s breakfast. Bitter gourd peels always find their way into the dustbin due to their strong bitterness, which even surpasses that of the vegetable inside. However, by throwing these peels away as inedible, you are ignoring its rich nutritional benefits.?

Why bitter gourd peel in my puri, of all things?

• Bitter gourd peel is rich in the insulin-like compound Polypeptide-P. This hypo-glycaemic (low in sugar) compound naturally helps control blood sugar. It can prove very helpful in managing both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
• Bitter gourd peel is a storehouse of antioxidants that help flush out the highly toxic free radicals in the body.
• Micronutrients like Vitamin C and A in the bitter gourd peels ensure healthy skin by avoiding premature signs of aging in addition to enhancing the luster of your hair.?

With many more benefits to add to its hat, bitter gourd peel is all set to make its way back to your kitchen counter, This time not as a waste to be discarded, but as an important ingredient to amp the nutritional value of your favorite puris! Adding bitter gourd peel to your puris is the best way to put the waste to good use. Enjoy extra-crunchy puris paired with the goodness of karela.?

Ready to get started with the recipe??

Here’s what you’ll need -

Prep time – 10 minutes

Cooking Time – 30 minutes

Total Time – 40 minutes

Serves - 4

Ingredients

1. Whole Wheat Flour – 2 cups
2. Gram flour (besan) - 1/2 cup?
3. Karela (Bitter Gourd/ Pavakkai) peel -1 cup
4. Ajwain (Carom seeds) – 2 tablespoons
5. Red Chilli powder – 1 teaspoon
6. Turmeric powder - 1 teaspoon?
7. Coriander Powder (Dhania) – 1 teaspoon
8. Salt – to taste
9. Oil, for frying

Great, now tell me quickly how to make this yummy dish!

• To prepare this nutri-licious breakfast, start mixing your prepped ingredients into a bowl one by one. Mix together the whole wheat flour, gram flour, ajwain, red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, and salt.?
• To prep, the karela peels, soak them in water and add about ? tsp of salt. Keep aside for 15 minutes.?
• Now wash the peels well, squeeze excess water and add them to the bowl along with the other dry ingredients.?
• Slowly, add water and knead it to make medium stiff dough for puri. Set aside for 30 minutes.?
• Make small balls from the dough and dust the counter with extra flour. One-by-one, flatten the dough balls out using a rolling pin till each puri has attained a circle shape with a medium thickness.
• On the parallel, heat oil in a round-bottom kadhai to fry the puris.?
• Once the oil is hot enough, add the flattened puris to it one by one. Gently press on the edges of each puri using a frying spoon in rotational motion till they puff up.?
• At this point, flip the puri to the other side and keep frying till both sides turn golden brown.?

And your puris are ready!

Serve hot and healthy karela peel puris with your favorite side dish! No one at the breakfast table will even wonder how delicious bitter gourd peel puris can be! Relish an appetizing breakfast with a healthy twist, and don’t forget to tell us how it was!