Kashmiri Recipe 'Gari Pur'

 
Gäri Pür
by ChandraMukhi Ganju
Devout Kashmiri Hindus observe fast (pha’ka) on special occasions like zaruma sa’tami/janamashtami, herath/shivaratri, punim/purnimasi, mavas/amavasi, shayem/kumar sheyshti, aTTaum/ashttami, kaah/ikadashi, sankrat/sankrati & Navaratri etc. as a mark of respect to gods and goddesses.
 
Navaratri, literally meaning nine nights, is a festival dedicated to the Mother Goddess. This festival is celebrated by Hindus all over India, particularly in West Bengal. During the nine days of the festival, the devotees observe fast and eat only restricted food.
 
The Hindus of Kashmir, too, observe fasts on all these days, The snack they generally feast on during the fasts is what we in Kashmiri call “ghari pur”, fried bread made of water chestnut.
The recipe is given below for the benefit of those who observe fasts during Navaratri:

   Recipe Gäri Pür
Serving size: 5-6 people
 Ingredients

  • 1 cup gari oat/ singhara atta (water chestnut flour)
  • 5 tbsp. of milk or more, depending upon flour
  • Pinch of phull/ baking soda
  • ¼ tsp. salt or sugar or sugar substitute.
  • 1 tsp. of vegetable cooking oil
  • Oil for frying.

Gari pur is made either salty or sweet depending on personal taste.

Method:

  • Put flour in a bowl.
  • Add soda, salt or sugar and 1 tsp. of oil to flour in bowl.
  • Mix all ingredients well.
  • Knead with milk slowly to make harder dough.
  • Make 6 small balls of dough.
  • Pat your hand with dry flour and make pu’r with palm of your hands. (see picture)
  • Make all pu’ri and put on dry towel or paper towel.
  • Heat 1-2 cups of oil in frying pan.
  • Add pu’r to hot oil in a pan and fry.
  • Fry both sides by turning with ladle carefully.
  • Serve with kahwa on fasting/ phaka day.
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