Puran Poli | How to make Poli at home | Stepwise Pictures | Festival Special Recipe

Hi SUPERMOMS,

This is a sweet stuffed flat bread that is very popular in India. Made with dough kneaded in oil and stuffed with lentil or coconut mixed with jaggery. A traditional recipe that has been handed over by our ancestors, the Poli is soft, flaky and stays good for upto 3 days in room temperature.This delicacy is known by various names in various states of India. The basic recipe has flour base with jaggery filling made like parathas. It tastes yummy when had hot with a dollop of ghee. The poli is also a festival delicacy made during the Bhogi Festival . 

I have followed my Mother-in -law's recipe to the 'T 'as she makes the most delicious Poli  I have ever tasted. Banana leaf is usually used to shape  the poli. As it is not easily available here, I use  butter paper. It always works  like a charm . Do not sprinkle any flour on the butter paper or any oil. The oil in the dough is sufficient to roll out smoothly without any cracks. 

There are 2 popular stuffing for the poli - thengai/coconut, paruppu/channa dal/bengal gram . I  make sesame seeds/til/ellu podi poli and gajjar halwa poli as interesting variations. Shall share those recipes soon. Keep visiting my blog. 

Though traditionally only All Purpose Flour/Maida is used for making the dough, using whole wheat flour is a healthier option. I make using whole wheat flour also. The recipe is the same, but to get soft Polis, I knead the dough for longer time ( upto 10 minutes) so that it is really soft. 

Puran Poli | Poli | Ubbatu | Poli :

Preparation time : 4 to 5 hours
Cooking time : 45 minutes
Makes - 25-30 polis
Special Equipment/vessel : tawa, butter paper, zip lock cover/ cling film
1 cup = 250 ml cup

Ingredients :

For the dough:

2 cups All purpose flour/maida
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
A pinch of  salt
1/4 cup oil + extra for greasing vesssel
water ( adjust)

For coconut filling :

1 cup freshly grated coconut
3/4 cup powdered (dirt free) jaggery
1 teaspoon ghee/clarified butter
2 cardamom ( powdered)

For the Dal stuffing :

1 cup channa dal
1 cup powdered (dirt free) jaggery
2 cardamom ( powdered)
1 teaspoon ghee/clarified butter

For cooking :

1 tablespoon ghee 
1 tablespoon oil

Method :

1.In a large bowl, add flour,  turmeric powder, salt and mix well .

2. Add oil  and incorporate it into the flour. 

3. Add water little by little and knead it into a smooth and loose  dough. 

TIP: The loosness of the dough is essential to get soft and flaky Polis.

3.Grease a bowl with oil ,transfer the dough and cover the bowl with a lid or cling film for a minimum of one hour. 

 Prepare your fillings now. I make both coconut filling and dal filling(paruppu poli) whenever I make Poli. 

For the Coconut filling :

 a. Heat a pan with a teaspoon of ghee. Add the coconut and jaggery .

b. Cook in low flame till the jaggery melts and mixes well with the coconut and the excess moisture is absorbed. 

c. When the mixture becomes shiny/nonsticky, add cardamom, mix  and switch off. 

TIP: This will not take long. Do not overdo else the stuffing will become hard.

d.When the mixture cools, shape the entire batch into lemon size balls.

For the dal stuffing:

a. Dry roast channa dal till fragrant.

b. Wash and soak in water ( about one inch above the dal) for an hour.

c. Pressure cook the dal in medium flame upto 3 whistles.

d. Remove excess water from dal, mash with masher or ladle.

e. Heat a pan with a teaspoon of ghee. Add the dal and powdered jaggery .

f. Cook in low flame till the jaggery melts and mixes well with dal and the excess moisture is absorbed.

g. Add cardamom powder and switch off.

h. When the mixture cools, shape the entire batch into lemon size balls.

Method for shaping the Poli : 

1.Take a small portion of the dough and make a ball with the help of your palms.

2.Keep it on the butter paper, place a cling film or a polythene cover on top and roll it out with a rolling pin to make a small circle.

3.Now place a  lemon size filling (poornam) in the centre of the circle and seal the edges with the dough.  

4.Pinch the dough on the top to seal the filling completely . 

5.Also you can make smooth ball by rolling it with your palms. 

6. Just press gently with your palm to make a cutlet shape and place it on the butter paper .

7.  Place a cling film and start rolling to make a thin chapatti(circle). 

TIP:

Keep the tawa(hot plate) ready while you are rolling, so that you can place the poli immediately after rolling.  Mix equal measures of oil and ghee to cook the poli in a small cup to brush the poli . 

8.Let it brown a little on one side. Turn and spread the ghee oil mixture in the front side as well as around the corners of the poli. 

9.After repeating it on both sides, remove from the pan. 

10.Repeat the same procedure for the entire batch.

Your soft POLI(s) are ready to be served. Here Iwould like to add that practise gives mastery to this dish. Do keep practising and I am sure that you will get the super tasty yummy polis that you have enjoyed eating from your mother's hand. 

HAPPY COOKING!

With love,

Masterchefmom