Puran Poli – A Sweet Symphony of Tradition and Taste (Maharashtra)

• Servings: 4-5
• Making dough time: 3-4 minutes.
• Making stuffing time: 18 minutes.
• Rolling time:2 minute (each).
• Frying time: 2-3 minute (each).
• Total time: 27 minutes.

I prepared “Puran Poli” on the occasion of Ardra Nakshatra as a delightful variation to our traditional festive meal. Customary to cook dal poori on this day, which features a savoury stuffing made from chana dal (lentils).

When it reflected  to me on the tradition, I realised that Puran Poli too is made with a similar chana dal stuffing, but in a sweetened form with jaggery flavoured with cardamom and nutmeg.

This connection inspired me to prepare it as a sweet counterpart to the usual dal-based dish. I understand it is a beautiful way to honour tradition while introducing a slight twist.

The soft, fragrant Puran Poli with its melt-in-the-mouth sweet filling added a festive charm to the celebration and was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone at home.

Puran Poli is a beloved Indian sweet flatbread, known for its rich flavour, soft texture and cultural significance.

Originating from Maharashtra, it is also popular in several other states including Gujarat, Karnataka (as Obbattu or Holige), Andhra Pradesh (as Bobbatlu), and Tamil Nadu (as Poli).

This festive delicacy is especially prepared during important occasions such as Holi, Ganesh Chaturthi, and Diwali as well as family celebrations.

Ingredients:

For poori:

• Aatta (wheat flour): 1 cup
• Maida ( Refined Flour): 1 cup
• Rice Flour (optional): 3-4 tablespoon ( for dusting the poli)
• Ghee: 1 tablespoon (for moin that is put it into dough itself).
• Salt: 1/4 teaspoon.
• Turmeric Powder: 2 pinch.
• Ghee/refined oil: 100 gm ( for roasting Poli)

For stuffing:

• Chana dal (split Bengal gram): 1 cup
• Jaggery: 150 gm.
• Green Cardamom: 4-5 no. (powder)
• Nutmeg: 1/2 teaspoon (powder)
• Coconut Powder: 1/2 cup
• Water: 2 cup

Preparation:

1. If you have time; soak chana dal for 30-60 minutes (it takes less time to cook).

For making dough:

1. In a wide vessel add Aatta (Wheat Flour), Maida, Ghee, Turmeric Powder and Salt. Mix well by rubbing between palms.
2. Add water in small quantity and knead them, if required, put some more water till the dough becomes soft (dough can be prepared in food processor also), cover and Keep aside, to be used after 10-20 minutes.

For making Puran (Stuffing):

1. Boil dal with 2 cup of water in the pressure cooker on high flame; bring to full cooking pressure, reduce to low flame and cook for 2-3 minutes, allow cooker to cool and open.
2. Strain dal with strainer to separate extra water from dal.
3. Add jagerry; cook on lower flame until mixture turns into thicker/dry like dough.  In between stirring at intervals, add nutmeg and coconut powder too.
4. Let it cool to come room temperature add cardamom powder.
5. Now Puran/stuffing is ready.
6. Divide stuffing into 8-10 equal parts and make ball.

Method:

1. Divide dough into 8-10 (equal no. of part of Puran) parts, make balls, keep aside.
2. Roll the ball in 2-3 inch diameter circle; place puran in the centre of the circle, fold it and seal the edges by pleating.
3. Fold the edge into the centre and joint properly; now press this ball slightly with the help of palm.
4. Again roll this ball carefully into the Rice flour; roll this ball with the help of rolling pin gently, till the 6-7 inch dia, now raw poli is ready.

Roasting the Poli:

1. Take a tawa (griddle) or nonstick pan, when it becomes hot; reduce the flame to medium flame.
2. Place the rolled poli on this; cook for a minute or till it changes the colour.
3. Turn the other side and cook it by pressing gently with spatula.
4. By pressing it will puff up. Sometimes it will not. (But need not to worry taste will still be great).
5. Apply some ghee and turn it cook both sides by applying ghee as well as pressing it gently.
6. Serve warm or cold or piping hot, the taste is amazing.
7. Traditionally it is served with Ghee (Clarified Butter), Milk or Curd.

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

Puran Poli – A Sweet Symphony of Tradition and Taste (Maharashtra) by Nag Ratna Sahu is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.