Jain Puran Poli
Jain puran poli is a festive Maharashtrian flatbread stuffed with smooth chana dal, jaggery, cardamom and nutmeg, made without onion or garlic.
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2 hrtotal
1 hr hands-on1 hr hands-off
Prep 30 min · Cook 30 min
- Serves
- 2
- Difficulty
- Hard
- Spice
- None
Ingredients
Quantities are for 2 servings.
You'll need: Stovetop, Pressure Cooker.
The dough rests for 1 hour and the puran must cool before rolling, so both filling and dough stay soft enough to spread evenly.
Method
Make the Puran (Filling): Boil the chana dal in a pressure cooker with a proportional measure of water and a pinch of turmeric for 4-5 whistles. The pulse must be ly intact but entirely yielding, avoiding a mushy breakdown.
Drain the dal with complete precision to extract all extra moisture. (Reserve this nutrient-rich liquid to make Katachi Amti).
Add the dry, boiled dal into a heavy-bottomed pan. Mix in the jaggery. Subject to medium heat while constantly mashing the mixture with a flat spatula.
As the jaggery liquefies, the mixture will loosen, before firmly reducing and thickening. The reliable doneness test: A spoon planted vertically in the center must stand upright without collapsing. Turn off the heat.
Fold in the cardamom and nutmeg powder. While the mixture is still hot, press it through a puran yantra (puran yantra or sieve) to yield a very smooth, lump-free paste. Rest until it cools and can form firm spheres.
Make the Dough: Sift together the wheat flour, maida, turmeric, and salt. Add water gradually to knead an very stretchy, soft dough (softer than regular roti dough). Mix in the cooking oil and knead once more. Cover and rest for 1 hour.
1 hr
To assemble, take a lemon-sized piece of dough and shape it into a cup. Set a slightly larger ball of the puran filling inside it.
Pleat and draw the dough edge upward, sealing the sweet filling securely without trapping excess air.
Dust with minimal flour and use a rolling pin with a light hand, rolling the parcel into a thin, expansive flatbread. Heavy pressure will tear the delicate casing.
Roast on a preheated tawa (griddle) over medium heat until characteristic golden-brown leopard spotting develops evenly across both faces.
Brush the poli generously with good ghee the moment it comes off the pan. Serve it straight away.
How to tell it's done
The poli should be thin and soft with no torn patches, and the puran should melt into the dough instead of sitting as a dry lump.
Getting it right
Tip
The filling and dough should feel similarly soft. If the puran is stiff or the dough is tight, the poli can tear while rolling.
What to serve it with
Serve puran poli hot with melted ghee, warm milk, or katachi amti made from the reserved dal cooking liquid.
Common mistakes
- The filling leaks while rolling.
- Cool the puran, sieve or mash it smooth, and keep the dough soft enough to stretch around the filling.
Storing and reheating
Refrigerate puran poli in an airtight container for up to 3 days, layered with parchment. Reheat on a tawa with a little ghee.
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