Click here to view Bhedawi Puri recipe. An elaborate snack, which is nevertheless not too tough to prepare, Bhedawi Puri offers a unique dining experience of nigella flavoured puris stuffed with a masaledar urad dal mixture. The nigella seeds add a tantalising flavour to the puris while the fennel seeds, although used in smaller quantities than other spices lends its inimitable touch to the stuffing. Drain these puris on an absorbent paper and serve immediately on preparation, to enjoy the best texture.

Is Bhedawi Puri healthy?

No, this is not healthy. Let's see why.

Let's understand the Ingredients of Bhedawi Puri.

What's good in Bhedawi Puri.

Urad Dal : 1 cup of cooked urad dal gives 69.30% of your daily requirement  of folic acid. The folic acid in urad dal helps your body to produce and maintain new cells, especially red blood cells. Being rich in Phosphorus it works with Calcium to build our bones. It is also high in fibre and good for heart, good for lowering cholesterol and good for diabetes. See here for 10 super benefits of urad dal. 

Coriander (kothmir, dhania): Coriander is a fresh herb often used as a flavour enhancer in Indian cooking. It is mainly used as a garnish. This is the best way to use it - no cooking. This preserves its vitamin C content which helps to build our immunity and bring that sparkle to the skin. The antioxidants vitamin A, vitamin C and the quercetin present in coriander works towards strengthening our immune system. Coriander is a fairly good source of iron and folate – the 2 nutrient which help in the production and maintenance of red blood cells in our blood. Good for reducing cholesterol and good for diabetics. Read 9 benefits of coriander to understand details. 

Benefits of Cumin Seeds ( jeera) : The most common benefit of jeera known to many is to soothe the stomach, intestine and the entire digestive tract. Cumin seeds are apparently a very good source of iron. A tbsp. of cumin seeds can fulfil nearly 20% of days iron requirement. Even small quantity of cumin seeds has huge amounts of calcium – a bone supporting mineral. They aid is digestion, weight loss and help reduce inflammation. See detailed benefits of cumin seeds, jeera. 

Nigella seeds : Black seed contains nigella and melatin, two ingredients that give it highly diversified medicinal powers. These substances work together to improve digestion and to cleanse the body. Nigella seeds also help fight against respiratory ailments. It also acts as an antihistamine, which helps to reduce the negative symptoms of allergy sufferers. It is also a strong antioxidant and helps cleanse the body of toxins. Black seed provides a rich supply of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which play a key role in daily health and wellness. They help to regulate metabolism, balance insulin levels, control cholesterol, improve body circulation, and promote healthy liver function.

Benefits of Fennel Seeds, Saunf : Aids in Digestion: The fiber content of fennel seeds is enough to prove its digestive benefits. 1 tbsp of saunf provides 2.3 g of fiber. Relieves Constipation:  The fiber in saunf adds bulk and helps in easy bowel movements too. The high fiber from saunf helps to reduce the bad cholesterol (LDL) in the body thus preventing the formation of plaque and in turn, heart attack. See detailed benefits of fennel seeds, saunf. 

Benefits of Black Pepper ( kali mirch) : Black pepper has been identified to stimulate the digestive juices and enzymes in the gut thus lending a helping hand in maintaining digestive health. The antibacterial nature of black pepper helps to relieve cold and cough, especially when black pepper is ground and mixed with honey and consumed. kali mirch may help in maintaining normal blood sugar levels as it improves insulin sensitivity. So diabetics and weight watchers with high blood sugar levels both can benefit from black pepper. Kalimich is known to boost metabolism and promote fat cell breakdown. Yes, the piperine in it may help you overcome obesity, weight loss. See detailed benefits of black pepper, kali mirch.

Dry Kashmiri Red Chillies : are specially bred for their vibrant red and moderate spiciness. Available in a wide range of colour values, the best varieties are bright red and valued for their high colour retention. They give a glowing red colour to dishes without imparting too much heat and make the dish more appealing and palatable.

What's the problem in Bhedawi Puri?

1. Plain flour (maida) : This recipe uses plain flour or maida which is refined carb not suitable for healthy lifestyle. Maida consumption in any food should be totally avoided or just a little bit of usage as any consumption of this will cause a larger spike in blood levels which is not good for diabetics, heart patients. Read is maida good for you to understand fully.

2. Vegetable Oils : To some vegetable oil is only soyabean oil, while some promote it as a mix of oils like soyabean, canola, sunflower, corn and other omega-6 rich oils. These are often cheaper options than many oils, but they are highly processed oils. They are undoubtedly not to be reached out for, whether you are looking for salad dressings, sautéing or cooking.  The 5 best oils used in cooking are olive oil (low temperature short time cooking), avocado oil, canola oil, coconut oil and peanut oil. You must read the super article to find the facts of  which oil is the healthiest avoid vegetable oil. 

3. Deep fried foods : This puri is deep fried. Any food that is deep fried is not suitable for healthy living. Your fat levels increase as deep frying increases oil absorption. Also when you use the same oil again for deep frying then smoking point decreases which leads to the development of blue smoke which is not good for health. It also increases inflammation in the body and shuts down the fat burning process.

Note : 1 cup = 200 ml (standard cup available in the market). The weight in grams varies for each ingredient. 

Can diabetics, heart patients and over weight individuals have Bhedawi Puri?

No, this recipe is not good for diabetics, heart and weight loss. This recipe uses plain flour or maida which is refined carb not suitable for healthy lifestyle. Maida consumption in any food should be totally avoided or just a little bit of usage as any consumption of this will cause a larger spike in blood levels which is not good for diabetics, heart patients. This puri is deep fried. Any food that is deep fried is not suitable for healthy living.

What is a healthy option?

You can have Baked methi muthia recipe,  Zunka recipe, moong dal dhokla recipe,  bajra carrot onion uttapam recipe or buckwheat pancake as one healthy recipe option.

Buckwheat Pancakes, Kuttu Pancake Diabetic Snacks

Can healthy individuals have Bhedawi Puri ?

No, this recipe is not healthy. Puris are made with maida & loads of oil.

8 Pointers to get healthy on a Indian diet.

1. Eat healthy and say yes to good home cooked food. Prefer whole grains like oatmeal, quinoa, buckwheat, barley and healthy flours like bajra flour, jowar flour, quinoa flour, wheat flour etc. rather than refined ones like maida. Have healthy Indian fats like ghee, coconut, coconut oil in your diet. 

2. Opt out of junk food, packaged food, deep fried foods. Prefer steamed snacks and other non-fried snacks. Check out some Healthy Indian Snacks. Remember to eat small frequent meals through the day as that will keep you always full and prevent your blood sugar from dropping. By starving your body through some diet, will not help you one bit. In fact, dieting will make you binge on 2 to 3 meals which is not good. 

Skip having Indian junk foods like pav bhaji, bata vada, pakoras, gulab jamun as they cause your body to have insulance resistance. The resultant is your body will store more carbohydrates as fats, causing storage of fat in the stomach causing a paunch and slowing down of our fat burning process. So its a bad cyle which causes you more more hunger and fatigue every time you eat junk food. 

3. Have 4 to 5 servings of vegetables and 2 to 3 servings of fruit is a must. Follow the logic of a vegetable in each main meal of the day and a fruit in-between meals. Check out a few Healthy Indian Soups and Healthy Indian Salads  recipes using this food group.           

4. Cut down on sugar and salt in your diet and pick honey ( very small amounts) or dates to sweeten your food. Slowly cut the sugar habit as this is not going to happen over night. Sugar  is also called white poison. It is a simple carbohydrate with zero nutritional value. On intake, sugar will cause inflammation of the body which will last for many hours. It will spike your blood sugar level and shut down the fat burning process. This also causes high blood sugar levels in your body. The development of prediabetes comes from uncontrolled eating sugar and refined food products for many years and the classic symptom is if you have excess belly fat. This leads to diabetes and further onwards to heart attack, high blood pressure, strokes, impotence and kidney damage. 

Salt and blood pressure. Apart from stress and obesity, one of the main reasons for high blood pressure is excessive sodium and salt intake. Most people find it difficult to limit the amount of salt in their cooking, thinking it will affect the taste of their favourite dishes. 

This is not true. Bajra and jowar are rich in potassium and critical for those with High Blood Pressure as it lessens the impact of sodium. Eating more Potassium Rich Foods will remove more sodium from your body through urine. So include the basic bajra roti and jowar roti in your daily diet to have with Lower Blood Pressure Subzis Recipes. 

5. Befriend a few healthy seeds and nuts like chia seeds, flax seeds, sesame seeds, walnuts and almonds. Stress. The easiest way to kill your immune system is chronic stress. 

6.  Sprouts are called ‘living food’. They are high is most nutrients and easy to digest as well. Let them feature in your meals at least thrice a week. Also Read : All Benefits about Sprouts. 

7.  Exercise 45 minutes every day. No excuse. You can walk fast, run, do weights, play your favourite sport or go to the gym. No activity reduces muscle tissue which will lead to muscke loss and all kinds of problems with that. Workout builds immunity and keeps virus or bugs away. 

8.  Sleep early and get up early. Get your body into rhythm and it will function best. Sleep helps your body to recover and makes you look much younger. Also getting good sleep prevent muscle loss, builds immunity and keeps virus or bugs away.

How to burn 193 calories that come from Bhedawi Puri?

Walking (6 kmph) = 58 mins

Running (11 kmph) = 19 mins

Cycling (30 kmph) = 26 mins       

Swimming (2 kmph) = 33 mins

Note: These values are approximate and calorie burning differs in each individual.