This Puran Poli, also called Puranachi Poli, is a sweet lentil-stuffed flatbread. A traditional Maharashtrian festive sweet made during Holi, Gudi Padwa, and other special occasions. Puran Poli consists of soft, thin flatbread stuffed with a rich, sweet mixture of chana dal (Bengal gram), jaggery, and aromatic spices. Serve this Maharshtrian puran poli warm with a generous drizzle of ghee or alongside katachi amti (spiced dal curry). Here's how to make it with step-by-step photos and a quick video tutorial.
What is Puran Poli?
In Marathi, "Puran" means "sweet lentil stuffing,” and “poli” means “flatbread." This Maharashtrian Puran Poli recipe is also called Puranachi Poli. It is made with whole wheat flour or Maida and stuffed with a delicious filling of chana dal (Bengal gram) and jaggery.
At our home, Puranachi Poli is an essential part of festive thali, served with rice, saar, amti (dal), pakoras, and papad. I also prepare other festive treats like Maharashtrian Rava Ladoo and Patoli. In neighboring states, Puran poli is known by different names like Holige in Karnataka, Bobbatlu in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, and Obbattu in Tamil Nadu.
In this Puranachi Poli recipe, I’ll share all the tips and tricks so you can get it right the first time. Trust me, it’s easier. Follow the steps carefully, and you’ll have perfectly soft and flavorful Maharashtrian sweet lentil-stuffed flatbread every time.
About this Puran Poli
My first attempt at making this Puran Poli recipe was a complete failure. No matter how many times I tried, the poli always turned out hard and dry. Then, I learned the secret to making the softest, most delicious Maharashtrian Puranachi Poli from my aunt, who lives in Maharashtra. That's what I am going to share with you all.
The secret to making soft poli is to knead the poli dough long enough to achieve the perfect softness. The lentil mixture for Puran is cooked until soft, mashed, and flavored with aromatic cardamom powder and nutmeg, creating a delicious, melt-in-the-mouth experience, disappearing almost instantly. I love it. It is usually served as a part of a festive meal.
I make a large batch of puran (sweet lentil stuffing) during Indian festivals like Holi, Gudi Padwa, and Ganesh Chaturthi because my kids love it and always ask for more. So when the kids want more, I prepare the poli, stuff it, and cook it and enjoy warm, homemade Puranachi Poli throughout the week.
You may also like these other popular Indian sweet recipes
Ingredients Notes
Making this Mahrashtrian recipe requires fewer ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen. It’s not a quick 30-minute recipe, but the effort is well worth it for the soft, flavorful poli and the rich, sweet stuffing. Here's what you will need to make this puran poli recipe.
- Flour: I am using all-purpose flour for this puranachi poli recipe. However, you can also make the dough with a mix of all-purpose and wheat flour, or go for a healthier version using just wheat flour.
- Chana dal: Chana dal, also called Bengal gram or split chickpeas, is the foundation of 'Puran' filling and can be found in Asian or Indian grocery stores. I like to prepare the Puran (chana dal stuffing) the day before. The puran stays fresh for up to 15 days when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Jaggery: It's unrefined sugar, and it's what makes the puran, or the filling, sweet. I used light color jaggery for making Puran. Jaggery comes in two colors. If you use the dark brown kind, your puran or sweet filling will turn out dark brown.
- Flavoring - Traditionally, Maharashtrian households flavor the Puran with cardamom powder, salt, and a pinch of nutmeg. Use nutmeg in small quantities and powder it in a mortar and pestle. It gives a nice aroma and flavor to the puran filling. But if you don't have it, skip it and add cardamom powder only.
- Turmeric Powder - It gives a beautiful yellow color to the Poli. It is completely optional.
For the detailed list of ingredients & their measurements, please check out the recipe card below.
How to make Maharashtrian Puran Poli Recipe (With step-by-step photos)
Preparations to make Poli
1) In a mixing bowl, add all-purpose flour, turmeric powder & salt. Add a little water at a time & knead soft dough.
Quick tip: If the dough it soft and kneaded well, the poli will be soft. Also, the stuffing will not come out while rolling the poli.
2) Next, add oil, a little at a time & knead. Once the oil is completely absorbed by the dough, add some more oil & knead. In this way, knead until the quantity of oil mentioned in the recipe card is completely used. Knead it well for 8-10 minutes so that the dough doesn't sticks to your hands. Cover it with a damp clean kitchen towel. Let the dough rest for 2 hours.
Making Puran (sweet lentil filling)
Cooking Chana Dal
3) Rinse & soak chana dal in water for 6 hours or overnight. Drain off the water. Transfer the chana dal in a pressure cooker. Add water, the level of water should be equal to the level of the chana dal. Do not add more or less water. Close the lid and pressure cook it for 3 whistles on medium heat.
4) If you do not have a pressure cooker, use a saucepan/pot. Transfer the lentils to it, add twice the quantity of water, partially cover it with a lid, and let it boil. If the level of water reduces add more water and cook. Once the water boils, foam will appear on top, remove the foam and cook lentils. Stir once or twice and cook until lentils are soft and can be mashed easily. It will take 30-45 minutes to cook.
Quick Tip: You can cook the chana dal on a stovetop in a pan or Instant Pot too. The quantity of water to cook dal and cooking time will differ.
You can soak the chana dal only for an hour and cook it. In this case, add more water like for 1 cup of chana dal you will need 3 cups of water. Cook for 6-7 whistles or until it is cooked.
5) Allow the pressure to release naturally. Check the dal. It should be firm in shape but cooked. When you press the dal between your thumb & index finger it gets mashed easily.
Quick Tip: When the dal is overcooked the puran (stuffing) will be soggy or mushy. Then you will have to cook it on the stovetop to dry it out.
6) Place a strainer or colander over a bowl. Strain the dal to remove excess water from it. Keep the dal on the strainer or colander until all the liquid is drained in the bowl.
Quick Tip: The strained liquid is nutritious and used to make Amti (Maharashtrian curry) or you can add it to soup or use it as vegetable stock.
Cooking Puran (sweet stuffing)
7) Heat 1 teaspoon of ghee in a heavy bottom pan over medium heat. Add cooked chana dal, jaggery, and a pinch of salt. Combine and cook.
8) Once combined, cook the mixture for 15 minutes stirring at regular intervals. The mixture will thicken and hold shape. Switch off the heat.
9) Add nutmeg powder & cardamom powder. Combine & remove from the heat. Let it cool down completely.
10) Grind the mixture using a mixer jar in small batches and remove it to a plate. I like to pass the ground mixture through a strainer for smooth consistency. This is optional. Another way is to use a potato masher and mash the mixture when it is lukewarm.
Making the Maharashtrian Puran Poli
1) Knead the poli dough (flatbread dough) once again. Now take out a lemon-sized ball from it & flatten it with your fingers.
2) Take out a small lemon-sized ball of Puran (sweet stuffing). Place it in the center of the poli & close the ends together.
3) Dust it lightly with dry flour.
4) Now flatten the ball with your fingers. It will spread the stuffing evenly inside the poli and rolling it will be easier.
5) Roll the Poli as thin as possible. This comes with a little bit of practice. You may not get it right on your first try but with a little practice and patience, you can make it. You can check out the video.
Quick Tip: You can sprinkle a little dry flour or add oil while rolling the poli.
6) Heat a tawa over medium heat. Place the puran poli on a heated tawa (iron griddle). First, fry it for 30 seconds or until bubbles start to appear. Then flip. Poli will start to puff up as soon as you flip it. Apply ghee/oil & fry on this side until some brown spots appear.
7) Flip again, apply ghee & fry on the other side too. Puran poli is ready. Serve this Maharashtrian puran poli hot with a spoonful of ghee & enjoy.
Tips To Make The Best Puran Poli
- Soak chana dal in water for at least 6 hours. It reduces the cooking time of dal.
- If the dal is overcooked, it will be mushy & you will not be able to make perfect Puran (sweet stuffing).
- Do not undercook the dal as it may cause digestion problems. If the dal is undercooked then cook for one more whistle. Also, check the level of water and if the base of the pressure cooker is dry, add more water and cook.
- While grinding the dal and jaggery mixture in the mixer/grinder jar, grind them in small batches. Add a little mixture at a time and grind. Do not add water while grinding.
- Knead the poli dough soft & let it rest for 2 hours.
- Do not cut down the quantity of oil for kneading the dough. It is the quantity of oil that makes puran poli soft. I tried to cut off the oil and that resulted in dry or hard poli.
- The ratio of chana dal to jaggery is 1:1. If you are using 1 cup of uncooked chana dal then you have to use 1 cup of jaggery.
Frequently Asked Questions
1) Dry or hard poli – Using too little ghee/oil while kneading the dough or overcooking Poli can make it tough. I always cook on medium heat and brush on extra ghee for that soft, melt-in-the-mouth puran poli.
2) Lumpy or runny Puran – The puran (stuffing) should be smooth, not grainy or watery. I cook off any excess moisture and then grind it well. Also like to pass the ground mixture through a sieve for that soft and smooth puran.
3) Tearing while rolling – If the dough feels stiff or cracks, it needs more kneading and resting time. Do not cut sown the quantity of oil while kneading. A soft, elastic dough makes rolling so much easier.
4) Overstuffing – I love a well-stuffed Poli, but too much stuffing makes it tricky to roll and cook. A balanced amount gives the best results.
For me, it tastes best when served warm with a generous drizzle of ghee, it just melts in your mouth and milk. If you're looking for a traditional Maharashtrian touch, katachi amti (a tangy-spiced dal made from leftover chana dal water) is a perfect match. Sometimes during festive seasons or celebrations in Maharashtra, they are a part of big meals and served with rice, varan (dal), amti, dry sabji, moong curry, pakora, chuney, salad, papads, and pickle.
1) Store the leftover puran poli within 2 hours of cooking. Let it come to room temperature. You can store it at room temperature for a day.
2) Transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate. Stays good for a week.
3) Puran (sweet lentil stuffing) can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 15 days.
4) Poli (flatbread) dough can also be stored in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
5) Always check for signs of spoilage like black spots, foul smell, or bad taste. If there are any discard them immediately.
More Maharashtrian recipes you might like
- Maharashtrian Sabudana Khichdi
- Sabudana Thalipeeth
- Malvani Chicken
- Maharashtrian Chicken Sukka
- Crispy Sabudana Vada
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Recipe Card
Puran Poli Recipe (Maharashtrian Puranachi Poli)
Equipment
- 1 Heavy bottom pan
- 1 Rolling Pin
Ingredients
To make Poli dough
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (Maida)
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¼ cup oil
- salt to taste
To make Puran (Sweet lentil fillinf)
- 500 gram chana dal (Bengal gram)
- 500 gram jaggery (cane sugar)
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg powder (jaiphal powder)
- 1 teaspoon cardamom powder (elaichi powder)
Instructions
Preparations for making Poli dough
- In a mixing bowl, add all-purpose flour, turmeric powder& salt. Add little water at a time & knead soft dough.
- Next, add oil, a little at a time & knead. Once the oil is completely absorbed by the dough, add some more oil & knead. In this way, knead until the quantity of oil mentioned in the recipe card is completely used. Knead it well for 8-10 minutes so that the dough is non-sticky. It doesn't sticks to your hands. Cover it with a damp clean kitchen towel. Let the dough rest
Making the Puran (Sweet lentil stuffing)
- Cooking chana dal: Rinse & soak chana dal in water for 6 hours orovernight. Drain off the water. Transfer the chana dal in a pressure cooker.Add water, the level of water should be equal to the level of the chana dal. Donot add more or less water. The dal should be just cooked. It should hold its shape but not mushy or overcooked. You can cook the chana dal on stovetop in a pan or Instant pot too.
- Allow the pressure release naturally. Check the dal. It should be firm in shape but cooked. When you press the dal between your thumb & the index finger it get mashed easily.
- Place a strainer or colander over a bowl. Strain the cooked dal to remove excess water from it. Keep the dal on the strainer or colander until all the liquid is drained off in the bowl.
- Heat 1 teaspoon of ghee in a heavy bottom pan over medium heat. Add cooked chana dal, jaggery and a pinch of salt, combine and cook.
- Once combined, cook the mixture for 15 minutes stirring at regular intervals. The mixture will thicken and holds shape. Switch off the heat.
- Add nutmeg powder & cardamom powder. Combine & remove from the heat. Let it cool down completely.
- Grind the mixture using a mixer jar in small batches and remove it to a plate. I like to pass the ground mixture through a strainer for smooth consistency. This is optional. Another way is to use a potato masher and mash the mixture when it is lukewarm.
Making the Mahrashtrian Puranche Poli
- Knead the poli dough once again. Now take out a lemon size ball from it & flatten it with your fingers.
- Take out a small lemon size ball of Puran (sweet stuffing). Place it in the center of poli & close the ends together.
- Dust it lightly with dry flour. Roll the poli as thin as possible. This comes with a little bit of practice. You may not get it right on your first try but with little practice and patience you can make it. You can check out the video.
- Fry these puran poli on a heated tawa (iron griddle) over medium heat. First fry it for 30 seconds or until bubbles start to appear. Then flip.
- Apply ghee/oil & fry on this side until some brown spots appear. Flip, apply ghee & fry on the other side too. Puran poli is ready. Serve hot with a spoonful of ghee & enjoy.
Video
Notes
- For pressure cooking the chana dal, the level of water should be equal to the level of the dal. Do not add more or less water.
- Cook the chana dal for 3 whistles only. Let the pressure settle down on its own.
- Check the dal. It should be firm in shape but cooked. When you press the dal between your thumb & the finger it should get mashed easily.
- Drain the cooked dal in the colander. The drained water is nutritious. You can use it to make amti (curry) or use it for cooking other vegetables.
- While grinding the dal and jaggery mixture in the mixer/grinder jar, grind them in small batches. Do not add water.
- Knead the poli dough soft & let it rest for a minimum of 2 hours.
- Do not cut down the quantity of oil for kneading the dough.
- The ratio of chana dal to jaggery is 1:1. If you are using 1 cup of uncooked chana dal then you have to use 1 cup of jaggery.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi! I’m Preeti Nayak, and with over two decades of hands-on experience in Indian cooking, I’m excited to share my passion with you. As the author, photographer, and editor behind every well-tested, family-friendly recipe on this blog, my goal is to help you cook with confidence and bring the bold, authentic flavors of India to your table.
Kalpana
Very well described. Understood all steps will try it and will let you know
akila prasad
You have described it very well. thanks a lot.
Preeti
Thanks