This South-Indian chicken stuffed crunchy bread recipe or chicken bafla is my first experiment with fusion food. It is inspired by the delicious Rajasthani dal bafla or dal bati churma.
The bafla is a popular and classic Rajasthani (Indian) bread dish that is usually served with dal (lentil curry). In its taste and looks it is very similar to the Rajathani dal bati churma and Bihari litti chokha.
The bati is believed to have originated in the Kingdom of Mewar, centuries ago. During war times the Rajput soldiers would break the raw dough and bury the pieces under the sand to bake them. On their return, they would enjoy these baked batis with ghee and curd. Read the complete story here.
Bafla was derived from bati. It is different from dal-bati and the litti -chokha in the way it is cooked. Where bati and litti are directly oven-baked (clay-oven in those days), bafla is traditionally first boiled and then baked. Also traditionally litti is stuffed with a sattu (roasted gram flour) mix.
The recipe that I’m putting down today can be called a South-Indian version of the dal-bafla. It is a chicken stuffed bafla served with a coconut-based gravy. I was inspired to cook this after reading the masala bafla recipe by Nisha Madhulika. It is the vegetarian version and you can access it here.
I had to make the recipe twice to get a better taste and understanding of the dish, so some of the photos posted here are from the 1st trial.
Recipe card for chicken stuffed crunchy bread recipe or chicken stuffed bafla recipe
Chicken stuffed crunchy bread recipe | Chicken stuffed bafla recipe
Ingredients
FOR BAFLA
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1/4 cup thick curd (or yoghurt)
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp fennel powder heaped
- 1/2 tsp chilli powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ghee to be used in the end
FOR CHICKEN STUFFING
- 400 g chicken marinated with salt and vinegar
- 1 big onion finely chopped
- 1 medium tomato finely chopped
- 3 tbsp coriander leaves chopped
- 3 tbsps coconut oil
- 1 tsp pepper powder heaped
FOR COCONUT GRAVY
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 2 inches cinnamon piece
- 1 big onion roughly chopped
- 1 big tomato roughly chopped
- 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- 1 tbsp coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/4 cup grated coconut
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- curry leaves few
FOR SHALLOW FRYING
- 4 tbsp ghee
FOR BAKING
- 1 tbsp ghee
Instructions
FOR BAFLA
- In a bowl, add wheat flour, curd, fennel powder, chilli powder, salt, baking soda and mix well
- Apply a little oil in your hands and knead the dough by adding water little by little. The dough should be smooth and similar to the one that we make for chapathis
- Add 1/2 tsp ghee and knead again. This will make it soft and smooth.
- Cover the dough with a damp towel and leave it aside for 20 minutes.
- After 20 mins apply a little ghee in your hands and knead the dough again
- Make small balls from this dough. I could form around 11.
- Now take a ball and press it down to flatten it. In a circular motion press the ends with your fingers to make a bowl.
- Add 2-3 tsps of the chicken stuffing in the centre of the dough, collect the corners of the dough and pinch it at the top. The shape will be very similar to that of a round momos.
- Press the pinched top to flatten again so it takes a round shape like a cutlet. Repeat the same procedure with all the bafla balls.
- Now prepare the idly maker. Fill it with little water and boil. Prepare the idly moulds by greasing them with coconut oil.
- Put the stuffed baflas in the moulds. Once the water boils add the moulds into the idly maker and steam for about 15 mins.
- You will notice that the baflas have all puffed up. Allow them to cool.
- Once cooled down, press the baflas gently so they get cracks. The stuffing doesn't come out and the cracks help in building the crunchy texture.
- Now take a pan and add some coconut oil or ghee. Shallow fry the baflas till they get a nice brown coating.
- If you're baking, preheat the oven for 15 mins at 180 deg C and brush a baking tray or pan with very little oil.
- Add the steamed, cooled and pressed baflas onto the pan or tray and bake for15 mins.
- Allow the baflas to rest for 10 minutes before eating them.
- FOR CHICKEN STUFFING
- Cook the marinated chicken in a pressure cooker for 20 mins or upto 3 whistles
- Once cooled down pluck the chicken from the bones, using your fingers. Mince the chicken using a grinder.
- In a pan, heat 2 tbsp of coconut oil. Add the onions, some salt and saute till almost brown.
- Next, add the ginger-garlic paste and saute till the raw smell is gone.
- Now add the tomatoes, turmeric powder and pepper powder
- Mix and cook till the oil separates
- Add the minced chicken and give it a good stir.
- Lastly, add the finely chopped coriander leaves to the mix
FOR COCONUT CURRY
- Heat 1 tbsp oil, add fennel seeds and cinnamon piece
- Next add onions and when they become translucent, add the ginger-garlic paste. Saute till the mixture turns light brown.
- Add the tomatoes and mix well. Cover and cook till they become mushy.
- Add the grated coconut and saute for 5 minutes.
- Cool this mixture down and blend into a fine paste. Add water if required.
- Heat 1 tbsp coconut oil in the same pan. Add mustard seeds and let them pop. Add a few curry leaves and allow them to fry a little.
- Add blended masala with all the spice powders and cook till the oil separates.
- Pour a little water to suit your preference of consistency.
- Add 1 tbsp vinegar and additional salt if required
Notes
- Baflas are traditionally boiled but this recipe calls for steaming them so the stuffing remains intact
- For steaming, if you don’t have an idly maker, you can simply boil water in a wide-mouth vessel, place a steel-based sieve or flat colander into it such that it fits and cook with a lid covering them.
- You can add more oil or ghee to fry them.
- I found that baking made these baflas crunchier.
- You can use any sauce to serve along with it as long as it is creamy.
- You can cook a spicier version by adding more chilli or not use chilli at all if you don’t prefer spices.
- The chicken stuffed bread or bafla can be eaten on its own too as a snack. My 3 year old enjoyed it that way.
If you try this recipe do tag me on Facebook @beingrubitah or Instagram @healthy_indian_meals or on Twitter @BeingRubitah to connect and celebrate the joy of eating home made healthy food!
These are the baked and fried versions together in one plate. The baked ones in the left, turned out crunchier in my case.
I tried the baflas with chilli-garlic chutney, mint-coriander chutney and the coconut-based gravy. All three go well with the bafla but my favourite is the coconut-based gravy.
So do try this south-indian chicken stuffed crunchy bread version of the bafla and let me know how it turned out for you!
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Hi! My name is Rubitah. I’m a Content Writer certified Life Coach, Counselor, Social Work professional and the Founder of Being Rubitah. Over the years through my professional and personal life, I have realized that prayers and love can do wonders to family life once you come to terms with yourself and surrender to God. Do you relate to me? Then you may like what I post here! Read more about me
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