Puran Poli Recipe (Maharashtrian Puranachi Poli)
This Maharshtrian Puran Poli also called Puranachi Poli is a sweet lentil-stuffed flatbread, a traditional Maharashtrian festive sweet made with soft, thin flatbread stuffed with a rich, sweet mixture of chana dal (bengal gram), jaggery, and aromatic spices. Serve it 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.
Servings: 16 puran poli
Calories: 240kcal
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
Calories: 240kcal