Bhatura Not Puffing? 6 Common Mistakes To Avoid For Soft, Fluffy Bhature

Chole and bhature - just hearing the words makes one drool! The classic Punjabi dish has the perfect balance of textures and flavours - the intensely flavoured and spiced chole paired with the soft, fluffy and crispy bhatura. To put it plainly, making chole bhature at home for your friends and family can be a bit challenging. The pressure is unparalleled and the whole thing is rather technically dramatic, from the pop of hot oil to the gentle build-up of dried spices.

Cooking the chole might get easier while the art of making soft and fluffy bhatura requires patience, precision and practice. So, if you are someone who is trying their hand for the first time on chole bhature, then we've compiled some common mistakes that you should avoid to prevent flat bhaturas.

Mistakes To Achieve Fluffy Bhature

Mistake 1: Not Letting The Dough Rest Enough

Allowing the dough to rest is essential to achieve a delicious bhatura. Resting develops the proper texture to give a light and airy fluff when fried. If you skip this step, your bhature may be dense and not puff up in the oil.

Mistake 2: Using The Maida Alone

To create the flawless bhature, mix together the maida, sooji and curd. This mixture provides the product with the structural integrity necessary to avoid chew, prevents any excess oil and helps the bhature's puffiness, texture and outcome.

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Mistake 3: Incorrect Frying Temperature

Dropping bhature into moderately warm oil can ruin the dish. In order to achieve a crispy exterior and a light and airy interior, the oil must be blisteringly hot. Otherwise, the bhature will soak up too much oil and will become greasy instead of beautiful and golden.

Tips and tricks to avoid flat bhatura while making chole bhature (Image Credits: Canva)

Mistake 4: Overcrowding The Kadhai

Resist the urge to fry more than one bhatura at a time as this lowers the temperature of the oil and prevents the bhatura from puffing. Fry each one individually to give your bhatura their own crisp, puffed debut.

Mistake 5: Rolling The Dough Too Thin

In order to get perfect bhaturas, roll the dough out to the correct thickness. If you're rolling it too thin, think flat, crispy, discs. If you're rolling the dough too thick, they won't devolve into puffy bhaturas. Roll the dough into a medium thickness, so that they can be puffy and fluffy.

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Mistake 6: Not Adding Secret Ingredient 

The softness of dhaba-style bhaturas relies on one secret ingredient: paneer. If you want to replicate them at home, start by stuffing either mashed paneer or boiled and mashed potatoes inside the dough as you roll it out, and you'll have a soft, supple and dreamily fluffy bhatura.