​Adding these two cooking essentials may help in making less oily and non-greasy Pooris

It is absolutely impossible to imagine Indian festivals and occasions without gorging on some delicious, crisp and fluffy pooris. From Poori Sabzi to Kheer Poori, Poori is a constant in almost every Indian household, but what about the calories, fat and oil? Despite the love for pooris, many people end up ditching this delight just to stay fit and healthy, but what if we tell you that there are some simple cooking essentials that can instantly reduce the greasiness and oil content from pooris and other deep fried delicacies. Here are two simple cooking ingredients that can be used to make pooris super healthy! Read on to find out…

While there are many ways to make pooris delightful, making them healthy without compromising on taste, texture and fats may seem like a tough task. But adding salt and baking soda to the frying oil may help in significantly reducing the absorption of oil and making them non-greasy. Another way to make pooris healthy is by adding a pinch of salt in the dough as well, which further helps in non absorption of oil in pooris. Here’s all you need to know about teh science behind frying pooris with less oil.

Adding salt and baking soda to hot frying oil repels oil from the food surface slightly or interacts with moisture to speed surface drying, which reduces greasy texture. What’s more, salt crystals sometimes act as tiny barriers preventing oil from penetrating the fried item excessively. Some culinary experts and seasoned cooks also use salt to absorb excess oil once frying is done by sprinkling it on the fried foods.

Another essential ingredient that can be added to hot oil is baking soda as it helps release carbon dioxide gas during cooking. This gas forms tiny bubbles within and around the food, creating a lighter, airier texture and producing a crispier crust. These bubbles also reduce oil absorption by creating a protective barrier that prevents oil from seeping deep into the food. However, baking soda added directly to oil as well as to the dough, which can cause foaming or bubbling due to reaction with moisture and makes pooris healthy. In fact, both salt and baking soda are sometimes combined in doughs and batters to enhance crispness while reducing oiliness, resulting in a final fried product that tastes lighter and feels less greasy. However, adding baking soda directly to frying oil is less common due to its reactive nature, whereas salt is more frequently sprinkled into oil or food post-frying for similar effects.

Salt, scientifically known as sodium chloride, is not chemically react with hot oil in typical cooking conditions because oil is non-polar and salt is ionic, so they do not dissolve or react directly. Salt can absorb moisture from the food's surface, causing faster evaporation when frying, which reduces oil absorption by creating a barrier of rapidly drying food surface. Salt may also slightly alter the oil's surface tension, influencing how oil coats or penetrates food, but this is a physical effect, not a chemical reaction. Baking soda also known as sodium bicarbonate undergoes chemical decomposition when heated. Lastly, adding salt in frying oil or on fried foods helps reduce oil absorption and can improve the taste and texture of snacks. However, it is best to avoid raw salt to keep several ailments at bay.