Puran Poli Maharashtrian Chana Dal Stuffed Sweet

Method

1. 1

   Cook the puran: Drain cooked chana dal. Place in a pan with grated jaggery. Cook on medium heat, mashing and stirring continuously for 20 to 25 minutes until the jaggery is fully absorbed and the mixture is completely dry, fragrant and comes away cleanly from the pan sides. It must be completely dry — wet puran bursts through the dough.

2. 2

   Flavour the puran: Add cardamom powder, dry ginger powder and nutmeg. Mix well. Cool completely. Divide into 12 portions.

3. 3

   Make the dough: Mix wheat flour, maida, oil, turmeric and salt. Add water to form a very soft, supple dough — softer than regular roti dough. Knead 8 minutes. Rest 30 minutes. Divide into 12 balls.

4. 4

   Stuff each poli: Flatten a dough ball into a disc. Place one puran portion in the centre. Pull the dough edges up and seal firmly. Roll gently between palms into a smooth ball.

5. 5

   Roll thin: On a well-floured surface, roll each stuffed ball very gently into a thin, even round — about 18 to 20 cm. Roll slowly and evenly from the centre outward. If the filling breaks through, patch with a small piece of dough.

6. 6

   Cook on a hot griddle: Place on a medium-hot griddle.

7. 7

   Apply ghee generously: After 1 minute, apply 1 tsp ghee around the edges and over the surface.

8. 8

   Cook until golden: Flip. Apply ghee on the second side. Cook 1 more minute. The poli should have golden patches and smell of ghee and jaggery.

9. 9

   Make all 12 poli.

10. 10

    Serve warm: Serve warm with additional ghee and a bowl of katachi amti (the thin dal made from the chana dal cooking water).

11. 11

    Note: Puran Poli is the signature festival sweet of Maharashtra — its significance is such that Maharashtra's festive calendar is often described in relation to when puran poli is made. The katachi amti — a thin, tangy dal made from the cooking water of the chana dal used for the puran — is the traditional accompaniment and considered inseparable from puran poli in Maharashtrian food culture. Every family has a specific ratio of jaggery to dal that is passed down through generations.