Puran Poli .... as the name suggests, Puran, in Marathi language means a kind of stuffing . In this case the stuffing is made by cooking Bengal Gram or chana dal with either jaggery or sugar or sometimes both. Either ways it tastes divine I make the Puran poli using only sugar to cook along with the chana dal . Poli means Roti or flatbread made by using a rolling pin .
So this is basically a sweet stuffed flatbread to put it in simple terms . A very popular sweet made for festivals in Maharashtra esp on Holi- The festival of colours or in the Holy month of Shravan. Served with an accompaniment called 'KATAACHI AMTI' (Click here for recipe) or with warm milk or ghee . This is one dish that cannot taste bad however you consume it. My favourite sweet. Here I present my way of making it . Hope you all like it.
TO MAKE THE PURAN OR STUFFING :
INGREDIENTS :
Chana dal (Bengal gram dal) 2 Bowls (1 Bowl dal usually yields 3 to 4 polis depending on size of poli)
Sugar 2 Bowls
1/2 tsp turmeric
cardamom powder 1/2 to 1 tsp
saffron few strands
Nutmeg powder (Jaiphal) 1/2 tsp
METHOD FOR PREPARING STUFFING OR PURAN :
1. In a vessel take the chana dal and wash it clean .
2. Add almost 1 and 1/2 times the water (This water is retained to make the katachi amti).
3. Add the turmeric powder (This gives nice n golden colour to the stuffing),
4. In a pressure cooker, cook the dal till its well cooked (Usually till 3 whistles followed by 20 mins on low flame of gas)
5. Once the dal is cooked , strain the water using a strainer in to another vessel (Retain the water to make the amti)
6. Once all the water is drained out from the cooked dal , we shall be using the dal to make the stuffing .
7. Take a thick bottomed vessel or wok or kadai, On a low flame, Mix the cooked dal and sugar .
8. The sugar will start melting and the dal will turn a little liquidy, Do not worry it dries up as it cooks. Keep stirring ocassionaly keeping flame low till mixture starts drying up .
9. A white powdery sugar film is seen at the edges which means the puran is done .
9. Add the nutmeg powder , cardamom powder and saffro strands n mix well.
10. A special grinder called ' Puran yantra' is available in the market.If not then you can use a mixer grinder too. Grind the dal n sugar mix through the grinder .Do this while the mixture is still hot . Its much easier to do then.
11. Your puran or stuffing is ready. Allow this to cool down
12. Puran can also be made previously, like a day in advance as I usually do and kept in airtight container in refrigerator. So making the puran polis next day becomes a little easier.
TO PREPARE THE DOUGH FOR THE POLI :
INGREDIENTS:
Wheat flour 1 Bowl
Refined flour or Maida 1 Bowl
Pinch of salt
Refined Oil
Water
Method to prepare dough :
1. Mix the wheat flour , refined flour and salt
2. Add around half a bowl of Oil . Mix well .
3. Gradually add water to make a very very soft and pliable dough .
4. This dough has to be little loose and not as firm as the one for roti or Phulka .
5. The trick to get soft and melt in the mouth Puran polis lies in kneading the dough .
6. Keep kneading the dough, Pulling it apart with your hands again kneading it and repeating the process. The more you knead , the better .
7. This ensures the dough, becomes soft , light and airy.
8. Keep covered with a muslin cloth for 30 mins.
MAKING OF THE POLIS :
1. Take a small portion of the dough .
2. Make a flat disc out of it using your hands.
3. Now take the stuffing almost double the size of the dough. Roll the stuffing in a ball and place it on the dough
4. The dough is extremely elastic.
5. Using both hands, gradually cover the stuffing with the dough. (It needs a little practice )
6. Press flat using light pressure
7. Usually this dough does not stick while rolling the poli bcoz of the oil we used while kneading but if you feel then you can use a little rice flour while rolling out the polis.
8. Using very light pressure, roll out the polis. Try to spread the stuffing evenly and upto the edges of the poli.
9. Very carefully lift the poli off the platform by rolling it on the rolling pin.
10 Heat a tawa or skillet on low flame .
11. carefully place the poli on the skillet. Keep the flame low and when done from one side you can turn it only once. (This is a very delicate procedure so turning again and again might break the poli)
12. Melt-in-the mouth Puran polis are ready to be served with ghee or warm milk or Kataachi Amti(Click here for its recipe)
13. They can also be stored for a couple of days.
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