Puran Poli – Traditional Maharashtrian Sweet Flatbread Recipe

A brief introduction

Puran Poli is a traditional Maharashtrian Sweet recipe prepared during festivals, celebrations and cultural events. It is considered a cultural symbol and a staple of Maharashtrian cuisine. While it is prepared across many parts of India under different names, Maharashtrians stick on to its authentic method of preparation, passed over through different generations. Holi, Gudi Padwa (Maharashtrian New Year), and Ganesh Chaturthi are the major occassions when Puran Poli is prepared at homes, when family members gather.

Other derivatives of Puran Poli 

Kayi Holige – A Kannadiga sweet dish, Tamil Nadu’s Boli and Maharashtra’s Puran Poli are very similar Sweet Flatbread dishes. Bobbatlu or Bhakshalu of Telugu-speaking communities and Vedmi of Gujarat are other variations. The dish is ubbatti or simply poli in Konkani regions.

Comparing Boli, served in Thiruvananthapuram Sadya, this Maharashtrian sweet is healthy because they use jaggery and wheat flour, instead of white sugar and maida, while keeping bengal gram stuffing the same. In North Karnataka, the dish is Holige and in South Karnataka, it is Obattu. There are slight variations in names across different regions. Yet, the basic concept remains the same. It’s mostly prepared like a stuffed chapati, with a sweet stuffing inside. 

Ingredients for Puran Poli:

1. Wheat flour – 2 cups
   Oil – 2 big spoons
2. Bengal gram dal – 1 cup, washed and drained full water
   Water – 1.5 cups
3. Ghee – 2 big spoons
4. Jaggery scrapped – 1 cup
5. Cardamom powder – ¼ small spoon

How to prepare Puran Poli?

1. Mix wheat flour and oil with sufficient water and prepare the dough. Make small balls out of them and keep them aside.
2. Add water to the dal and cook it well using a pressure cooker. After three whistles, turn the flame off.
3. Heat the ghee and add the cooked dal with jaggery.
4. Cook it on a low flame for 10–12 minutes.
5. When it turns dry, add cardamom powder and take it off the flame.
6. When it almost cools, blend well in a mixer. This is used as filling.
7. Take a chapati ball and gently spread it.
8. Place a little filling inside it, and fold in from four edges.
9. Spread a little flour on its top and spread it like usual chapatis.
10. Heat a tawa and cook each puran poli until it turns golden brown.
11. Spread a little ghee on both sides and serve hot.

Courtesy: Vanitha Magazine November 1-14, 2018

Also read: Okkarai – Chana Dal & Jaggery-based Tamil Nadu Diwali Sweet Recipe

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