Puran poli or pooran poli is a traditional Indian sweet (Maharashtrian) made using whole wheat flour dough stuffed with a sweet lentil filling. Serve it with a dollop of ghee and milk on the side for a delicious breakfast, snack, or dessert.
Maharashtrian cuisine is so simple and flavourful, that you should definitely try other recipes too – Maharashtrian Zunka, Misal Pav, Bharli Vangi, Masale Bhat, Sabudana Thalipeeth, Pithla, and Shengdana Amti.
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About This Recipe
Puran poli is a popular Maharashtrian stuffed sweet flatbread that has a delicious filling prepared with chana dal (husked split Bengal gram) and jaggery. This sweet is prepared in many parts of Indian but is more popular in Karnataka, Gujarat and Maharashtra.
Puran means sweet filling and poli means flatbread. Puran poli is made for all special occasions and festivals like Holi, Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali, Bail Pola, etc.
The dough to make puran poli is made using whole wheat flour or a mix of whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour. Although turmeric is traditionally not added, I add a pinch of it to give a lovely color to the poli.
The filling or the Puran is made using cooked husked and split Bengal gram lentil (chana dal), jaggery, cardamom powder, and nutmeg powder. Some people also add ground ginger to the stuffing.
Some people also like to add grated coconut to the filling, which surely adds more flavor.
In Maharashtra, the filling is prepared by using chana dal, however, in Gujarat toovar dal is preferred for making it. However, you may use any of these dals as per your liking.
This Puran Poli is,
- Delicious
- Easy to make
- Full of flavour
- Perfect for festivals
Ingredients
For the dough – The dough of puran poli is prepared with whole wheat flour, salt, water, and ghee. The addition of ghee makes the poli nice, flaky and soft. You can also replace some whole wheat flour with all-purpose flour to make it flakier.
You can also add a pinch of turmeric powder to the flour if you like to add a little hint of yellow color to the puran poli.
For the stuffing – The sweet and yummy stuffing inside is made with cooked chana dal, jaggery, and ghee. Yes, just three main ingredients.
Try to use organic jaggery. It might look dark in color but it is free of many harmful chemicals that are used to bleach jaggery to give it a light color.
The filling is flavored with nutmeg powder, and cardamom powder, which enhances the taste of poli even more and also lends it a beautiful aroma. Some people also add ground ginger and ground fennel seeds to the filling.
You can even add dry grated coconut in this mixture, as done in some of the Konkan regions.
Some people even use tuvar dal (yellow pigeon peas lentils) to make puran poli. You can also experiment and use any other dal for the same. But I feel among all the dals, chana dal and tuvar dal tastes the best.
How to make Puran Poli?
Start by cooking 1 cup chana dal. Wash the dal with water 2-3 times and soak it in 4-5 cups of water for 30 minutes.
Once the dal is soaked, drain the water and add the soaked chana dal to a pressure cooker.
Add 3 cups of water to the cooker and close the lid. Pressure cook the dal on high heat for one whistle, then simmer the heat to low and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove the cooker from heat and let the pressure release naturally. Once the pressure is released, open the lid of the cooker. The dal must be well cooked but should still retain its shape. If it’s not cooked well, then cook it for another few minutes.
Note – You can also cook the dal in an instant pot or in a pot over stove top.
Strain the cooked dal using a soup strainer and reserve the water for other uses like making katachi amti or for making curries. Try to get rid of as much liquid as possible while straining.
Add the cooked dal, 1 cup grated jaggery, and 1 tbsp ghee to a nonstick pan and cook on medium heat until jaggery is dissolved and mixed with the dal.
Add ¼ tsp nutmeg powder, and ½ tsp cardamom powder and mix well.
Cook the mixture until it starts to leave the sides of the pan and is thickened nicely. It will take 12-15 minutes. Keep stirring frequently and keep mashing the dal with the back of the ladle. We want a super smooth puran. If the puran is not smooth, the poli will tear while rolling.
Remove the filling from heat and let it cool completely. You can even make the filling a day before so that it is cooled well before stuffing in the dough. Divide the filling into 6-8 equal parts.
Note – To check if the filling is cooked well, insert a spoon in the middle of it. If it is able to stand straight, then the puran is cooked to the right consistency.
Note – A special devise call puran yantra is used in many Maharashtrian houses to make the puran super smooth. Some people also pass it through a soup strainer or blend it in a food processor. After making it many times, I have realized that if the dal is cooked well, you just have to mash it with the back of the ladle and the puran will turn our smooth.
Once the filling is ready, make the dough for poli. Add 2 cups of whole wheat flour, ¼ tsp salt, and 2 tsp ghee in a bowl and mix well using your fingertips. You can add a pinch of turmeric powder for a lovely yellow tinge.
Add water little by little and knead to make a soft dough. The quantity of water will depend on the quality of flour used. Do not add a lot of water at one go otherwise, the dough will become sticky. Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and keep it aside for 30 minutes.
Divide the dough into 6-8 equal portions. Take one of the portions and roll to make a smooth ball. Slightly flatten the ball in between your palms and then dust with dry flour gently. Roll to make a 4-5 inch circle.
Keep a filling ball in the center of the circle and bring the ends together.
Dust and roll again to make an 8-10 inch circle. While rolling, apply the pressure gently and go from one side to the other. Try to roll the edges a little thinner than the center.
Heat a griddle and transfer the puran poli on the hot griddle. Cook until brown spots appear on the bottom side. Flip the poli and cook until brown spots appear on the other side as well.
Flip the poli again and apply 1 tsp ghee on each side and press the poli using the back of a ladle and fry until golden brown from both sides. Make all the poli in the same manner. Apply some more ghee on top and serve it with milk or katachi amti.
Frequently Asked Questions
This sweet Indian flatbread uses ghee or clarified butter, which is not vegan. If you want a vegan version, you can use vegetable oil instead.
Add the washed and soaked dal in an instant pot along with 2 cups of water. Close the lid and set the valve to the sealing position. Press PRESSURE COOK and set the timer for 10 minutes on high pressure. The instant pot will take some to build the pressure and the timer to start. Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Release the remaining pressure by moving the valve to the venting position. Open the lid and drain the dal.
Pro Tips By Neha
Knead the dough to a soft consistency. It should be like a chapati dough.
You can use half all-purpose flour and half whole wheat flour to make the dough too.
Adding some ghee while kneading the dough makes the poli crispy. You can use oil for vegan.
You can choose to not add turmeric powder. Traditionally Maharashtrians don’t add turmeric to the dough.
Drain the cooked dal nicely otherwise, it will take a long time to cook it.
Reserve the water from the cooked dal to make Amti.
If the filling is too runny, cook it for some more time. If it is too dry, add a few tbsp of milk and mix well.
The amount of filling should be equal to the amount of dough.
You can make puran poli using toor dal too. Just replace chana dal with toor dal and keep the remaining process the same.
Apply ghee on the poli only when the brown spots appear. It will make it crispy.
Variations
Gujarati Puran Poli – This version has tuvar dal which is mixed with jaggery and ghee.
Kerala Boli – This version of puran poli has the same mixture as Maharashtrian puran poli, but the outer layer is prepared with rice flour instead of whole wheat flour.
Kannada Holige – It is prepared just like Maharashtrian puran poli with a stuffing of chana dal and jaggery.
Andhra Bobattu – This version has the filling of chana dal and jaggery, but is flavoured with some nuts.
Tamil Poli – It has coconut too along with chana dal and jaggery. This version is also prepared in most of the Konkan areas.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve it for breakfast, snack or dessert post meals. It is served with hot milk flavored with cardamom and saffron.
Puran poli amti is another very traditional combination. It can be served along with katachi amti (a spicy side dish made using the water left after cooking the dal) and khamang kakdi which is a refreshing salad made using cucmbers.
During Gudi Padwa, you may even host a lunch or dinner which serves a complete Maharashtrian meal to the guests along with everyone’s favorite puran poli.
Piping hot poli served along with a dollop of ghee is so drool-worthy that I cannot express my feelings in words.
Storage Suggestions
You can store these for up to a week in the refrigerator. Keep the Puran Poli in an airtight box and refrigerate. Just heat on a griddle and apply some more ghee before serving.
You can freeze these in between sheets of butter or parchment paper. Then keep in zip lock bags and freeze for up to 6 months. To reheat, keep the frozen poli directly on a hot griddle. Apply some more ghee and cook until warm and crisp.
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Recipe Card
Puran Poli Recipe
Ingredients
For the filling
- 1 cup Bengal gram lentil/chana dal
- 1 cup grated jaggery
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg powder
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
For the dough
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (not traditional. I add it for that lovely colour.)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon ghee (plus for frying)
Instructions
- Start by cooking the chana dal. Wash the dal with water 2-3 times and soak it in 4-5 cups of water for 30 minutes.
- Once the dal is soaked, drain the water and add the soaked chana dal to a pressure cooker.
- Add 3 cups of water to the cooker and close the lid. Pressure cook the dal on high heat for one whistle, then simmer the heat to low and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove the cooker from heat and let the pressure release naturally. Once the pressure is released, open the lid of the cooker. The dal must be well cooked but should still retain its shape. If it’s not cooked well, then cook it for another few minutes.
- Note – You can also cook the dal in an instant pot or in a pot over stove top.
- Strain the cooked dal using a soup strainer and reserve the water for other uses like making katachi amti or for making curries. Try to get rid of as much liquid as possible while straining.
- Add nutmeg powder, and cardamom powder and mix well.
- Cook the mixture until it starts to leave the sides of the pan and is thickened nicely. It will take 12-15 minutes. Keep stirring frequently and keep mashing the dal with the back of the ladle. We want a super smooth puran. If the puran is not smooth, the poli will tear while rolling.
- Remove the filling from heat and let it cool completely. You can even make the filling a day before so that it is cooled well before stuffing in the dough. Divide the filling into 6-8 equal parts.
- Note – To check if the filling is cooked well, insert a spoon in the middle of it. If it is able to stand straight, then the puran is cooked to the right consistency.
- Note – A special devise call puran yantra is used in many Maharashtrian houses to make the puran super smooth. Some people also pass it through a soup strainer or blend it in a food processor. After making it many times, I have realized that if the dal is cooked well, you just have to mash it with the back of the ladle and the puran will turn our smooth.
- Once the filling is ready, make the dough for poli. Add whole wheat flour, salt, and ghee in a bowl and mix well using your fingertips. You can add a pinch of turmeric powder for a lovely yellow tinge.
- Add water little by little and knead to make a soft dough. The quantity of water will depend on the quality of flour used. Do not add a lot of water at one go otherwise, the dough will become sticky. Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and keep it aside for 30 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 6-8 equal portions. Take one of the dough portions and roll to make a smooth ball. Slightly flatten the ball in between your palms and then dust with dry flour gently. Roll to make a 4-5 inch circle.
- Keep a filling ball in the center of the dough circle and bring the ends together.
- Dust and roll again to make an 8-10 inch circle. While rolling, apply the pressure gently and go from one side to the other. Try to roll the edges a little thinner than the center.
- Heat a griddle and transfer the puran poli on the hot griddle. Cook until brown spots appear on the bottom side. Flip the poli and cook until brown spots appear on the other side as well.
- Flip the poli again and apply 1 tsp ghee on each side and press the poli using the back of a ladle and fry until golden brown from both sides. Make all the poli in the same manner. Apply some more ghee on top and serve it with milk or katachi amti.
