Luchi and Alurdom

Luchi and Alurdom is a childhood favourite. Now the real luchi is small, light, fluffy and white. Made from plain all-purpose refined white flour or maida. Not gluten free and contains no nutrients except for a lot of carbs, fats and happiness. Are you giving in to what the kids want? Yes, I am. But adding in a bit of atta (whole wheat flour) to the maida just to make a point.

Festive foods are good and we have a lot of it around. Sometimes, we revisit a few classics to help people reconnect to their roots. I haven’t made luchi or poori (the other version with whole wheat flour) in a long time. Truth be told, we grew up with very little of it made for breakfast. It uses a lot more oil than we use for our day-to-day cooking. And it creates a messy kitchen.

The other side of it is of course that it’s not a highly nourishing breakfast. But it fills up the stomach very well, is delicious and as kids we all loved it.

Now we find it in many roadside shops, stalls and it has kind of fallen down in the list of foods that we would look up to. Why? Health consciousness and of course the fact that the ingredients are extremely inexpensive. It is highly accessible to many people, and we haven’t found it in the list of good foods from any therapists, trainers or doctors. Ouch!

Luchi Alurdom has been rejected several times

Ok, this is a clear favourite for many, and you can have luchi with almost anything. I am recommending alurdom with it because it’s a personal favourite. But people have had it with savoury and sweet dishes for ever. Like, we have poori chana or poori halwa given in many places all the time. It cannot fight against croissants and ham sandwiches. Or for that matter anything else served in the mad hatter’s tea party.

Way back in 2002 (I think), as young interns we even made an attempt to create the biggest poori in the world to get into some record books. Well, of all the weird ideas that deserve a place in some BizzzyBee awards!

Here’s me in 2026 wondering how to explain what happened in 2017 or 2018. I couldn’t find these two pics recently when I went for a doctor’s visit. I am putting it up as a reminder. It might help a few be a little more curious about inflammation and autoimmune diseases.

Luchi and Alurdom was never made for my birthday

That’s a pretty bold statement. I am wondering how true this is. Actually, I don’t remember. I don’t remember the number of candles needed for many old friends’ birthdays.

Some of my dear friends will not touch it with a barge pole now. I remember this old story of how chipchipa (oily) the fingers are after eating luchi or poori with their hands.

Definitely something that can be relished with others who don’t care about this or a place where there is an option to wash hands.

Ok, we are going to dispense with the arguments and tell you that we are doing this for Durga Puja or Navratri here. Honestly, many people don’t even eat onion or garlic during this period. I am not doing any of that- just sharing.

What did I give up for this Navratri? I am laughing at this stupid question. It’s been 4 years I haven’t cooked for my husband. I had one drink last month. And that was for a friend’s birthday.

Isn’t that a sacrifice for someone who loves to cook and share with loved ones?

A childhood tale with Luchi and Alurdom

When we were kids running around and forgetting our breakfast, creating a nuisance for many elders around, the most important task for mothers and aunts was to get us to sit down for breakfast. Like my aunt would chant and do this funny thing “Lochi Lochi…Kop Kop Kop Kop”. And then my brother and I would fight.

Someone would say, “Tum kutta hai!” (You are a dog). And then other would retort- “Main kutta nahi hoon. Tum Kutta hai!”. This was for sticking out our tongues at each other. In all that confusion, definitely the breakfast was getting cold. And we were getting on many people’s nerves. Usually, the kids and elders along with the guests were fed first. Then came the women and finally my grandmother and the cooks.

It was a huge task to change this order. And get everybody to relax, sit together or eat together. Then there was a bigger task to make this into a buffet kind of an arrangement where people would just pick up and eat whatever they liked from the table.

The biggest challenge came when everyone ate on their own at their own time- wherever and whenever. Sometimes, it was a lot of last-minute changes in decisions. And we had to learn how to live with that too.

Because it was very difficult to do an estimation of how many people would eat and how much would be needed. This was a really different kind of life.

Coming back to the stories around breakfast, there was enough confusion on what was to be made for breakfast.

Luchi Alurdom or something else?

Now, I remember many things were tried like toast which wasn’t our favourite. Another was makha which was the simple cereal of moori (puffed rice) or chidwa/cheere (flattened rice flakes) mixed with some milk or yoghurt and fruits during summer.

My mother was extremely fond of toast while I was actually partial towards makha. Over time an egg or two was added to make me like the toast more. Now the fight started on how do you like your eggs.

The poached egg was fine but then there was this problem of the yolk bursting which would mean that it didn’t look that good. Immediately there was a protest from one of the kids in our family that the egg yolk is not right. Then there was another kid who didn’t like the yolk at all! There was this problem again of boiled eggs which was fine except that it had this really stinky smell when packed in lunchbox or tiffin box.

Ah! You are wondering how spoilt we were. Well, truly speaking the real treat was the paratha or luchi.

Difficult to make in the early mornings before we left for school. So definitely something which was reserved for special occasions, Sundays or festive occasions. Paratha could still be made ahead and reheated quickly. Luchi– no. Doesn’t taste good reheated. You have to fry it fresh and eat it while it is still piping hot.

Have I not eaten stale cold leftover luchis? I have actually. But, just telling you how it is preferred.

Statutory warning – No kids in the kitchen

Now, I am going to implore a few people to try and make this at home themselves. Really easy to make! Simple ingredients and a favourite with kids.

Why no kids? There can be kids. But just that we don’t want hot oil on them and hopefully no kitchen disaster will happen. There’s a little confusion about whether there is any other way to enjoy the pujas? I mean, in some households the kitchen is shut down for a few days.

Nobody eats at home and everybody gathers at the community center or goes out with family and friends to enjoy the pandals, the festivities, going to the mall, the theaters, clubs or eating at their chosen restaurants. There are food stalls put up to help people to enjoy a few childhood delicacies just like this. So why would you ever try to make something like this at home?

Children want to go out, and we have to help the people at home enjoy some peaceful respite. Sleeping in and watching tv or reading books are preferred by some. Leisurely peaceful strolls and some gentle activities are recommended for others.

Definitely, this kind of madness of cooking up a storm in the kitchen is completely unnecessary for some.

Alas my friend, there are students who have had to stay at home. Study and prepare for a few exams. A few others who are unwell or unable to step out due to some work exigencies. So, this one goes out for them.

Repeatation of Luchi and Alurdom

You remember we made some Kochuri and Alurdom earlier. Isn’t Luchi similar? And seems like a country cousin of the same? Ok. Let’s say it is similar, but it is a lighter version. Kochuri is heavier and more difficult to digest. Also, this one can be made more easily without a lot of prep work ahead. Kochuri is more suitable for a bit later in the year.

I got that simple message, and the feedback was loud and clear. Cut the crap and make the luchis. In fact, your calling a poori a luchi is going to be overlooked for now.

We have gone out for a walk or a drive to have this luchi and poori outside. And tomorrow we will judge you very severely for not making it at home for us.

So, I made it and I helped myself to a few of them remembering how this is a food much preferred by drivers everywhere. They are all waiting while people do their shopping or enjoying themselves in various places. I read some story about how some of them carry thick milkshakes or smoothies for breakfast because it is so filling.

Now, we have many places near filling stations with luchi or poori options. You want sandwiches, that’s also easily available. So, we make this in memory of the kids who never got a chance to grow up. Some healthier options also exist perhaps. Like say, some fruits or nuts? We can drop this health-nut ball sometimes. As long as we don’t go overboard.

Alurdom is ready- Are you Sure you want Luchi?

Making the alurdom is a simpler decision. We don’t need to fry the luchis now. I have decided that we will keep this tricky question for later.

In the meantime, just a simple tip about the alurdom. For homestyle alurdom, there’s a way to reduce the oil consumption. You can lightly fry the boiled potatoes first. Then just cover the masala and let it cook on low heat first checking and stirring from time to time. Wait for the oil to start separating from the onion paste and then the spice mix paste. If you need more oil, you can always add it later before adding the potatoes.

Do check the video below for my version of it this time.

Now, this one doesn’t have any red chillies. I have used green chillies and fresh coriander. So you may find the colour a bit on the greenish side. Do not be alarmed. This is still alurdom. Adding red chillies will definitely make it look better. Will be spicier and I recommend in that case to add quite a bit of tomato paste and chaat masala as well.

In fact, there is no right or wrong way to make alurdom. Some people even add a bit of sugar in it- which I haven’t done. So we leave this tasty, popular and easy spicy dish for experimenting any way you like. We even have a delicious sweet potatoes recipe here. Do check it out.

Thanks for Mixing the dough

My helper Sandhya is unwell and yet has come to work regularly. I am sending this out with a wish for her feeling better soon. She helped me to make and fry the taaler bora earlier. This time she guided me to make a really good dough for the luchi. She suggested to add a bit of salt and sugar to the dough. But I’m keeping the sugar out of it this time.

I have made some sweet chholar dal and halwa alongside to give a bit of sweetness along with the spicy alur dom. My mother used to make and then guide to make many things for Durga Puja. In fact, they are all busy making narus now which is supposed to last for the bhog till Lakshmi Puja.

I have left it to the elders to guide others for the right way to do that. I am not worthy of helping in such endeavors. Kalankini Radha has left the pious deeds for the more austere and hard right or left winged bhakts.

I am simply sharing a little bit of Durga Puja happiness with whoever is willing to partake of it. This goes out with all my love to whoever is ready to learn and make it someday.

Footnote

A Balloon or two for you

I saw a video sent as a friendly reminder

How heart blockages are often cured

Strangely there was a corny joke of a Balloon

For some who may have gone to Doon

I am a simple girl who lost many to greater causes

And it helped me to feel a bit of the pain

My gains were perhaps your losses

And that’s how I remember a few kind bosses

I wish today I could live a little more

But I don’t want to lie there all day getting

Painful and ugly bed sore.

Did I do enough for others I wonder

There’s no way I can payback what I got

A lot more lay cast off and asunder

There was really a lot of tears

I swallowed a few silently and a few just flowed

The rivers wept and the paths were swept

I remembered all the promises not kept.

I’m tired Ma, really tired…

Melting Lemon Drop 18.10. 2026