singhare ke atte ki puri is made during religious fasting days like shivratri fast or ekadashi fast or navratri fasting. during fasting days in north india, only certain flours are used. e.g. singhare ka atta (water chestnut flour), kuttu ka atta (buckwheat flour), rajgira ka atta (amaranth flour), sama ke chawal ka atta (barnyard millet flour) and arrowroot flour.

i wonder why these healthy flours and millets are used during fasting days only. they can even be made during regular days. these flours make for an excellent gluten free option as well.

you will definitely get to taste a slight flavor of singhara or water chestnut in these pooris but that does not matter much, as these pooris taste as good as regular pooris made from whole wheat flour.

singhare ki pooris can be made plain just with the water chestnut flour or in combination with mashed potatoes. this recipe uses boiled mashed potatoes. since mashed potatoes are used, the pooris have to be fried in hot oil. on a lower temperature the potatoes absorb a lot of oil and the pooris become clogged with oil.

singhare ka atta is easily available in most super stores in india. i have seen it in reliance stores in india too. apart from this recipe, you can also consider making kuttu ka paratha and rajgira ki pooris for fasting days.

you can serve these singhare ki pooris with aloo sabzi or tomato curry or pumpkin sabzi. i served the singhare ki puri with vrat wale aloo.

singhare ki puri recipe below:

INGREDIENTS (measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml)

• 2.5 to 3 cups singhare ka atta/water chestnut flour
• 2 medium sized potatoes, approx 1 cup of mashed potatoes
• 1 or 2 green chilies, minced or finely crushed in a mortar-pestle
• 1 tsp cumin powder or coarsely crushed cumin
• 2 tsp oil
• rock salt or sendha namak as required
• water to bind the dough

INSTRUCTIONS

1. steam or pressure cook the potatoes with rock salt.
2. when warm, peel and mash the potatoes.
3. add all the other ingredients including oil.
4. mix well first.
5. dd very little water and knead the dough.
6. don't add water unless required.
7. knead the dough and if it looks dry or lumpy in some parts, then add little water and knead again.
8. the dough should be smooth and pliable.
9. the dough should not be sticky.
10. otherwise you won't be able to roll the pooris.
11. take small or medium sized balls from the dough.
12. sprinkle some water chestnut flour on the rolling board.
13. roll the balls in to small or medium sized pooris.
14. don't make thin or thick pooris.
15. the thin ones will break when frying and the thick ones will get browned quickly from out leaving the insides uncooked.
16. heat oil in a kadai for deep frying the pooris.
17. when the oil is hot, place the poori gently in the oil.
18. when one sides puffs up... (you can aid the poori to puff up by gently nudging it with the slotted spoon) gently turn over and fry the other side.
19. when the pooris are golden, remove from the slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
20. serve the singhare ki poori hot with vrat ke aloo.

Enjoy!