Satpura is Amritsar’s layered treat

Deep-fried and filled with spiced mashed potatoes, the Satpura holds a Bengali connection but is Amritsar's very own golden fare, writes Rameshinder Singh Sandhu

Every corner of the globe has its favourite snacks. In Amritsar, the holy city of Punjab, Satpura is one of them. As the name suggests, it’s a seven-layered crisp and soft treat that’s deep-fried (although it deceivingly looks baked) and is made chiefly with white or refined flour and salt.

As you begin to gorge on it, it may remind you of an aloo patty from a neighbourhood bakery you frequently visit as it’s also filled with spiced mashed potatoes in the centre. In the winter months, peas are also used as a filling. Other than the patty, the thought of the Satpura tasting like a French croissant crosses my mind at least till I don’t reach the potato filling part, hence for me, it’s also my town’s desi croissant.

Commonly seen in the walled pocket of the city including on pushcarts, some serve it with potato curry mixed with tamarind chutney while some with only the chutney or assorted pickles. Some eateries like Bira Halwai, a small old-fashioned shop on the backside of the Golden Temple just steps away from Gurdwara Mata Kaulan hold a special place in the hearts of the locals. Intriguingly, the shop has no name, and is simply famous as Bira Halwai or Bira Samosean wala, and it’s where Satpura was first born in Amritsar, as also mentioned in several food books.

“My great grandfather, Gyan Singh, introduced Satpura to Amritsar, who learnt to make it while working with a chef in West Bengal, nearly 50-55 years ago. After all, he knew Amritsarians will love it but was oblivious to the fact that soon many other local chefs would come to ask for the recipe,” shares Ajit Pal Singh, the shop’s owner, who learnt the craft of a perfect Satpura, from his father Raghbir Singh.

“One finishes Satpura in a minute or two but it takes a long time to prepare them as even the dough needs to be worked on meticulously. Then sheets are crafted, followed by clubbing them together with filling in their equator. As we make around 300-350 Satpuras daily, it easily takes away 5-6 hours, using one of the fine vegetable oils instead of clarified butter, which doesn’t bring out the exact results. but in vegetable oil, it beautifully turns into a golden flower,” underlines Singh.

Their list of celebrity customers is also long, from Bollywood to Punjabi singers and international travel writers. “Whenever in Amritsar, I never forget to enjoy Satpuras with my tea. I always send someone to Bira Halwai to get them for me at the hotel. For sure, their passion shows up in every bite,” says Malkit Singh, a noted Punjabi singer, who lives in England.

Delhi-based Jaskaran Singh Arora, author of Amritsar: A foodie’s delight, which covers Satpura and its birthplace in Amritsar, believes that Amritsar’s food journey is incomplete without sampling the Satpura. “Many tourists and even the locals may not know of its Bengali connection but they certainly know that its taste is unique.”