Foreign Vlogger Tries To Cook Puri Bhaji And Hates It - Viral Video Angers Indians

A foreign cook's attempt at preparing a beloved Indian food combo - aloo bhaji with puri - has gone viral for the wrong reasons. Sam Jose (@_samjose_) took to Instagram to share a video of himself cooking this dish from scratch. He explains that he followed the first recipe he found on Google for puri bhaji. He starts by chopping potatoes and tomatoes to use later. He heats a little oil in a pan and adds what looks to be jeera (cumin seeds). He adds chopped tomatoes and seasons them with salt and some other unidentified masala. Next, he adds the diced potatoes and combines them with the rest of the ingredients. He adds some water to the pan, gives it a mix and covers the vessel to allow the curry to cook.

In the meantime, he prepares the dough for the puri using four ingredients: flour, salt, oil and water. He uses a stand mixer to blend them together. We don't see him kneading the dough. But he cuts it into smaller pieces and rolls them to make thin circles. He says it's the "easiest" dough he has ever made. He also compares them to "street tacos," adding that he is convinced these are tortillas. He proceeds to fry the puris in hot oil until they puff up to a certain extent. Layer, he plates them along with the aloo bhaji. After tasting it, he rates the dish a 4/10 and declares he would not eat it for breakfast again. Watch the complete viral video below:

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A post shared by Sam Jose (@_samjose_)

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The reel has clocked over 3.6 million views so far on Instagram. In the comments section, many people criticised the vlogger for how he cooked the dish. Several users pointed out that there were flaws in the techniques that didn't do justice to the otherwise delicious food combination. Read some of the reactions below:

"I've never seen anyone making Puri bhaji this wrong."

"That's the saddest puri and aloo ki sabji I ever came across."

"That's the thing with Google. It can give you recipes but it can't cook those recipes for you. That's the most soul-less Poori Bhaji possible. Surprised you have it a 4/10, should be zero."

"Better see some videos for good taste or ask who knows the recipe."

"Obviously it's gonna taste bad if you make it this way."

"Indian cooking is all about patience when you are cooking, tempering spices, you need the right heat, and it's an art to saute the aromatics with utmost patience. You just can't throw it all in a pan and say you've made Indian food. May be the google recipe was right but your techniques were incorrect."

"I don't mean it in a bad way but it's important to understand the essence of the dish before attempting to make it. While perfection isn't necessary, the outcome should at least resemble the original dish. Unfortunately, what you've made falls short of even being considered a decent attempt at poori bhaji. It lacks the fundamental characteristics of the dish. Hope you try again."

Before this, a video showing a chef from New Zealand making the famous South Indian treat, masala dosa, went viral. Many Indian users were impressed with his creation. Click here to read the full story.