Steamed Air-Fried Poori
Soft inside, lightly crisp outside — without deep frying
Poori is traditionally deep-fried, but this version takes a completely different route. The rolled dough is steamed first and then finished in the air fryer, giving you puffed, lightly golden pooris without immersing them in oil.
The steaming helps cook and soften the dough, while the short air-fryer finish gives the outside some colour and texture. I served mine with channa dal, but the poori works with any dal or sabzi you enjoy.
Recipe Highlights
- Steamed first, then air fried
- No deep frying
- Uses only 3 g ghee
- A lighter take on traditional poori
- Simple four-ingredient dough
- Can be served with dal, channa or sabzi
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Resting Time: 30 minutes
Steam Time: 8 minutes
Air-Fry Time: 4–5 minutes
Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition & Macros — Poori Only
Calories: ~200 kcal
Protein: ~5 g
Carbohydrates: ~37 g
Fat: ~3 g
The nutrition above is for the poori recipe only. Channa dal or any other accompaniment is not included.
Ingredients
- 50 g maida / all-purpose flour
- 3 g ghee
- Salt — to taste
- Water — as required
Method
1. Prepare the Dough
Add the flour, ghee and salt to a mixing bowl.
Start with 1–2 tablespoons of water and mix everything together using your fingers or a spatula.
Continue adding water gradually while kneading until you have a soft, smooth dough.
Cover the dough with a moist kitchen towel and allow it to rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
2. Shape the Pooris
While the dough is resting, add water to an idli steamer or any suitable steaming pot and bring it to a boil.
Divide the rested dough into small lemon-sized balls.
Keep the dough balls covered with the moist cloth so they don’t dry out.
Roll each ball into a circle approximately 3–4 inches in diameter.
3. Steam
Once the water is boiling, arrange the rolled pooris in the steamer without overcrowding.
Steam for 5 minutes.
Turn them over carefully and steam the other side for another 3 minutes.
4. Air Fry
While the pooris are steaming, preheat the air fryer to 180°C for 10 minutes.
Transfer the steamed pooris to the air-fryer basket.
Air fry at 180°C for 2 minutes.
Turn them over and continue air frying for another 2–3 minutes, just until they become lightly golden.
Do not overcook them, as they can become hard and dry.
5. Serve
Serve the steamed air-fried poori warm with your choice of dal, channa or sabzi.
I served mine with channa dal.
Ippitizer Tips
Don’t skip the steaming step. It partially cooks the dough and helps keep the inside softer before the dry heat of the air fryer.
Watch the air-frying time closely. These don’t need to become deeply browned. Once lightly golden and slightly crisp, take them out.
Keep the dough soft. A stiff dough is more likely to produce a dry poori after air frying.
Serve immediately. Like most air-fried breads, these are best while they’re still warm.
Ippitizer Note
This recipe isn’t trying to imitate a deep-fried poori exactly — the texture will naturally be different.
The idea is to keep the experience of a warm, puffed poori while removing the heaviness that comes from deep frying. Steaming first and air frying briefly turned out to be a simple way to achieve that.
