Hello! It is wonderful that you are making homemade puris for dinner. Choosing the right cooking medium makes a significant difference in achieving that signature light, crisp, and fully puffed texture without making the puris greasy.
For frying puris, your main priority is selecting an oil with a high smoke point (ideally 400°F / 204°C or higher) and a neutral or complementary flavor. Readily available supermarket options like refined sunflower oil, peanut oil (groundnut oil), canola oil, or standard vegetable oil are ideal and cost-effective. Peanut oil is a traditional favorite because it imparts a very subtle, pleasant warmth, whereas sunflower and canola oils offer a completely neutral base that lets the flavor of the wheat shine.
Because puri dough is firm and does not involve wet batters or breadcrumbs, it leaves behind minimal debris, which helps the oil stay cleaner for longer. As a standard rule in commercial and home kitchens, oil used for clean dough can safely be reused 2 to 3 times before chemical degradation makes it unsuitable for cooking.
To safely store and extend the life of your oil, allow it to cool completely in your pan after cooking. Once it reaches room temperature, pour it through a fine-mesh strainer lined with a coffee filter or a couple of layers of cheesecloth into a clean glass jar. Removing all micro-particles of flour is crucial, as any leftover sediment will scorch and accelerate breakdown the next time the oil is heated. Seal the jar tightly and store it in a cool, dark pantry or the refrigerator.
When you are ready to reuse the oil, perform a quick quality check. If the oil appears dark or noticeably viscous, produces foam when heated, smokes at lower temperatures, or smells rancid or off in any way, it has broken down and should be discarded. If it smells neutral and looks clear, it is completely safe to use for your next round of frying or for daily vegetable sautéing.
