Puran Poli

”Holi re Holi.. Puranachi Poli!!!!”

Holi is incomplete without Puran Poli in any Maharashtrian household. Puran poli is a flatbread stuffed with a sweet lentil stuffing. Puranachi Poli and Katachi Amti is my all time favorite Holi Menu.

The sweet stuffing called as Puran in Marathi is made from jaggery, Bengal gram (chana dal) laced with cardamom, nutmeg and a dash of ginger powder. Whereas the outer covering, is made with a mixture of all purpose flour (maida) and whole wheat flour. The Puran is stuffed inside the dough and then it is rolled into a thin flatbread. It is then cooked on a hot tawa and served with generous amount of ghee with the side of milk or katachi amti whichever you prefer.

DIFFERENT VARIATIONS OF PURAN POLI ACROSS INDIA

There are different types of Puran poli made across India.

• In Maharashtra: made as described above.
• Gujarat : usually made with toovar/toor dal (pigeon pea) and jaggery.
• Andhra Pradesh :called Bobbattu and is made with chana daal (Bengal Gram) and jaggery and nuts. 
• Kerala : it is known as Kerala Boli  and is made with chana daal and jaggery. While the outer dough is made of rice flour and has a touch of turmeric.
• Karnataka : it is known as Holige and is made with chana daal and jaggery.
• Tamil Nadu– known as oputtu – you will see vendors selling hand patted flatbread with coarse filling of chana daal, jaggery and coconut on their carts.

The Festival Of Colours – Holi

Holi celebrates the arrival of spring, the end of winter. It also signifies the triumph of good over evil, as it celebrates the victory of Vishnu as Narasimha Narayana over Hiranyakashipu. Holi celebrations start with a Holika Dahan where people gather, perform religious rituals in front of the bonfire, and pray that their internal evil be destroyed. The next morning is celebrated as Dhulivandan where people smear each other with colours and drench each other with water.

Holi in Ratnagiri and Konkan areas

Just like every Malwani/ Konkani household, our parents go to our village in Ratnagiri for Shimga (Holi). We kids, used to stay at home because our final annual exams would always coincide with the festival dates. Locals believe that Shimga represents the arrival of God and therefore carry idols of the deities to their houses in decorated Palkhis or palanquins.

Every house is decorated, painted, adorned with rangoli on the entrance of their homes all geared up for the Palkhi arrival. A colourful procession of people, celebrating, signing and dancing alongside the Palkhis with staunch devotion is something that is worth- watching. They seek blessings from God and pray for the well-being of their families. This is celebrated by all people irrespective of age, caste and creed. . Some places have the ‘Dashavatar‘ (drama) which is an absolutely must see.

For me, Holi brings truckloads of memories. My mother and Aaji (grand mother) use to make puran poli together. While Aaji would fill the puran into the dough, my mom would roll it out and fry them with generous dollop of ghee. The sweet aroma of these getting cooked would fill up the entire house and we would keep dreaming of relishing these with sajuk tup (ghee), katachi amti and milk after the bonfire.

The next day, on Dhulivandan we cousins would enjoy smearing colours on each other faces until we were all unrecognizable. We would fight each other with the water guns (Phichkari’s). My mom would give us 1 2 buckets each of water. Water was rationed by Mom or else there would be no end to our Holi celebrations. So in between us 6 cousins we had 12 buckets of water. With a rule, that we were not allowed inside the house until we were all done playing.

As I write this, all 6 of us grown up,2 of us married, 3 of us in different continents, busy with lives and waiting for the day when we all could fly back home at the same time. Time flies by but just the way we human’s are by nature, we always struggle to live in present. We are either reminiscing the past or planning the future. And the fact is, we always enjoy our past more than anything else.

Making Puran – Traditionally v/s Modern

My mom and Aaji, just like anyone who makes Puranpoli uses the Puran Yantra to strain the puran. The puran is then passed through it so that the Puran is lump free and smooth. It can be a time consuming process and needs to be done when the puran is hot and this job was often left to us kids or dad or uncles.

Much recently, my mom found this new thing in the market sold as the – Puranachi jhali. It is a very fine sieve. You place the jhali on a vessel. You add the hot Puran on it and with the back of the spoon or a glass you keep mashing the Puran so that the Puran that is collected is smooth. My mom thinks it is easier to use, but I think basically any sieve can do the job and this sieve which is advertised as the Puranachi jhali is nothing but a marketing gimmick. My mom went on and gifted everyone as the Haldi -Kunku Vaan that year.

I don’t have either. So I mash the dal when it is hot with a potato masher. It gets the job done. You may still be left with a few un mashed dal, but that is okay. If you don’t like it you can take it out when you find it while rolling the Puranpoli’s. To avoid your puran polis breaking a lump free puran is a must. One of my friend even grinds this in batches in a mixer. So you could try that too.

To be honest, Puran Poli was my nemesis for the longest time. Having seen my mom and Aaji make it together I wondered if it takes two to tango situation. I have made thicker Puran polis which felt like eating just uncooked sweet thick roti. Over the years, and lot of trials and error I have reached to a point where I can confidently invite people to eat Puran Poli. So if I can do it you can surely. It is not easy, honestly but not impossible. Just needs practice.

Cooking Tips for the Puran

• The ratio of chana dal (Uncooked) and jaggery is 1:1.
• If you time, you can soak the chana dal for at least 1 hour to 6 hours. Soaking the dal helps to cook faster
• Once the dal is cooked, drain the water in which the dal is cooked and save it for making the katachi amti.
• To know, if your Puran is cooked well: if your spoon stands straight in the puran and does not fall then the Puran is ready
• Adding dry ginger powder to the Puran helps with digestion but can be optional
• Runny Puran? Turn the heat back on and cook for few more minutes and let it become thick and moisture will evaporate
• Dry Puran ? Start adding 1 tablespoon of warm milk (or water) at a time and mix. Continue this till you get the right consistency.

Puranpoli Troubleshooting

Don’t let the ingredients list and preparation method intimidate you. Making Puran poli can be tricky but its worth all the efforts. Perfect puran poli requires some practice.

1. Dough is too sticky – Add some dry flour little at a time to make it easier to handle
2. Dough too stiff: Knead the dough with adding little water. Add a little oil and knead the dough until it is soft and pliable .
3. Chapati sticking to the rolling surface : Dust the rolling surface with flour and roll out each ball of dough
4. Want to make it Vegan? Simply skip the ghee.
5. Want to skip Maida (all purpose flour)? You can easily replace it with the same amount of whole wheat flour.
6. Roll very gently without applying any pressure to avoid the Puran Poli Breaking. Puran consistency has to be perfect. If it is too soft then it might ooze out. If it is too dry it will keep tearing . Roll it very gently without giving too much pressure to avoid breaking. Remember practice makes it perfect. Keep practicing to make puran poli’s don’t give up and please !

Katachi Amti

Katachi Amti is a traditional sweet, tangy, savory, watery soup-like daal made with chana daal stock. Literal translation of katachi amti is; Kat means stock and amti means tangy, watery daal. Katachi Amti is made as an accompaniment to puran poli because it uses the water drained after cooking the chana dal and leftover Puran. Every house has a different variation and this is what my Aaji used to make and so I follow the same. You can also eat it with rice.

Love more Traditional recipes?

Try our Shrikhand Puri, Tilpoli/Gulpoli – another favorite very classic Makarsankranti Poli(flat bread)

Puran Poli

Recipe by Samrudhi MaheshCourse: MainDifficulty: Difficult

Servings

7-8

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

A classic Maharashtrian dish made with wheat flour, jaggery and chana dal.

Ingredients

• FOR THE DOUGH :

• 1 cup Wheat flour

• 1 cup Maida / All purpose flour

• 2~3 teaspoon Oil

• Salt – To taste

• FOR THE PURAN

• 1 cup Chana dal

• 1 cup Jaggery / Gul

• 1/2 teaspoon Cardamom powder

• 1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg powder

• 1/2 teaspoon Ginger Powder (optional)

• FOR MAKING POLI:

• Oil

• Dry flour for rolling the poli

• Ghee for serving

• FOR KATACHI AMTI

• 3 cups of chana daal stock (Check Notes)

• 1/4 -1/2 cup Puran ( you can add depending on how much you have)

• 2 tablespoon oil

• 7-8 curry leaves

• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

• 4-5 pieces of Kokum (you can use tamarind Extract)

• a pinch of asafoetida (hing)

• 1 teaspoon chili powder

• 2 teaspoon goda masala (optional)

• coriander leaves for garnishing

Directions

• TO MAKE THE DOUGH
• In a bowl, add maida, whole wheat flour, salt and mix everything well.
• Adding little water at a time, knead it into a dough. The dough should not be too soft or too stiff.
• Add oil and knead the dough so that it is soft and pliable.
  
• Drizzle some oil over the dough so that it does not form a skin. Cover and rest the dough for at least 30 mins.
• MAKING THE PURAN
• Add dal into a bowl and wash it for 2-3 times.
• Soak dal in enough water for about 7-8 hours or overnight if you have time. If you are short of time you can soak it for at least 30 minutes. Soaking the dal makes it cook faster.
• Transfer the soaked dal into cooker and add water. The quantity of water depending on how much kat you want for the Katachi Amti. Add oil and mix well.
• Close the lid and cook dal on medium heat until 5-6 whistles. If you making in Instant pot please refer to the notes for instructions.
• Once the pressure is released. Strain the excess water or kat from the dal. You can use the water for making katachi amti.
• Mash the cooked dal well with potato masher. Making sure that all the chana dal is mashed properly.
• In a pan add the cooked chana dal ,jaggery and ginger powder and mix well. You can directly cook the Puran in the instant pot or pressure cooker. I prefer to cook it separately in a pan. The puran may seem runny at first. But you are in the right direction. Cook dal on medium heat for about 15-20 minutes or until it thickens up really good and comes together.
• Turn off the gas and add cardamom powder, nutmeg powder and mix well. The puran is ready. To know, if your Puran is cooked well: if your spoon stands straight in the puran and does not fall then the Puran is ready
• MAKING PURAN POLI
• After resting knead the dough for a minute again. The oil should get absorbed in the dough making it soft and supple.
  
• Start making balls of the dough and the stuffing which should be of the same size.
• Put a heavy griddle on medium high heat.
  
• Roll the dough by using the dry wheat flour that is kept aside for rolling. Make a 4-5 inch diameter circle. Put the stuffing in the middle of the rolled dough and then gather all the sides of the dough on top of the stuffing to enclose it. Roll the Poli gently and evenly using more dry flour. You can roll this thin or keep it a little thicker.
• Gently put the rolled poli on the heated griddle. Cook evenly on both sides to a perfect golden brown color. Add a little ghee/ oil to both sides.
• When poli is roasted well from both sides take it off the pan.
• Your Puran poli is ready.
• Katachi Amti
• In a mixing bowl, add the dal stock and Puran and mix well until it is lump free and set aside. Next add chili powder, goda masala, hing, salt and mix well. Set aside.
• In a pan, heat oil. Once the oil is hot add the curry leaves, mustard seeds and let it splutter. Add cumin seeds and add the kokum and sauté it for 30 seconds.
• Next gradually add the amti to the pan. Allow it to cook until it comes to a boil. Lower the heat and cook for another minutes. Take off heat.
• Garnish it with coriander leaves and serve with either puran poli.

Notes

• Soak chana dal for 30 minutes before you pressure cook it so that it is evenly cooked.
• Try to mash the chana dal with a potato masher while it is still hot.
• Mash the dal and jaggery mixture very well using a potato masher. The chana dal should be mashed completely in the stuffing as it will be difficult to roll out thin Puran Polis.
• You can use only maida ( all purpose flour) or only wheat flour. Honestly making it with only maida, the poli tends to become chewier later and also the rolling process might get a little difficult. So I find the half and half combo works the best but again it is a matter or preferances.
• INSTANT POT INSTRUCTIONS: I cook the dal in an instant pot. Add the washed, soaked dal to the instant pot along with salt and water. Close the lid with vent to sealing and pressure cook on manual high for 15 mins (6-7 whistles on medium low in traditional pressure cooker). Allow natural release.
• MAKING THE PURAN IN AN INSTANT POT : Start the instant pot on saute (normal) mode, once hot add ghee to it along with the cooked dal. Mash the dal either with back of your spoon/ potato masher or using a hand blender to make it almost smooth. Add jaggery to the pureed/mashed chana dal and mix well. The mixture will turn wet once the jaggery melts so cook for 5-10 mins until the mixture dries (yet is soft). Switch off the pot and remove the container and keep aside or else it will continue to cook and dry out the puran.
• Roll the poli’s as gently as you can so that the puran doesn’t ooze out.
• 1 cup of jaggery gives the right amount of sweetness, but if you like it more sweet add ¼-1/2 cup more or to taste
• You can adjust the amount of chana dal stock as per your availability. You can add water to adjust the amount.
• For the Katachi Amti you can use tamarind water/ extract instead of Kokum.

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Looking for more Indian flatbread options?

Try our Tilpoli/gulpoli (A Makarsankrant must have). Amboli (fermented rice and lentils pancake), Bajari chi Bhakari (Pearl -Millet Roti), Naan (another favorite with all types of curries), Sourdough Chapati (If you are a sourdough Parent, then this is specially for you).

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