flipPuran poli, the festive sweet flatbread
Puran poli, the festive sweet flatbread
Why this dish? At the great Hindu festivals and temple consecrations she funded, this flatbread stuffed with a lentil and jaggery paste was served — a celebratory dish of the Maratha country, both offering and treat.
A thin wheat flatbread enclosing a sweet heart of chana dal cooked with jaggery, perfumed with cardamom and nutmeg, browned in ghee. Soft and melting, it is eaten warm.
Today the temple is consecrated, and joy must be tasted. Then we prepare puran poli: my cook crushes the split chickpeas with gur into a thick paste, which she perfumes with elachi and nutmeg. Roll it into the flatbread without tearing — that is the art, and it takes years of practice. Eat it burning hot, drowned in tup: on that day, even an austere queen smiles.
- •Split chickpeas (chana dal) — one bowl (filling)
- •Jaggery (gur) — as much as dal (sweetener)
- •Green cardamom — a few pods (flavor)
- •Nutmeg — one, grated (flavor)
- •Wheat flour — two bowls (dough)
- •Ghee (tup) — as desired (cooking and finish)
Puran poli, the festive sweet flatbread
A thin wheat flatbread enclosing a sweet heart of chana dal cooked with jaggery, perfumed with cardamom and nutmeg, browned in ghee. Soft and melting, it is eaten warm.
Why this dish? At the great Hindu festivals and temple consecrations she funded, this flatbread stuffed with a lentil and jaggery paste was served — a celebratory dish of the Maratha country, both offering and treat.
Today the temple is consecrated, and joy must be tasted. Then we prepare puran poli: my cook crushes the split chickpeas with gur into a thick paste, which she perfumes with elachi and nutmeg. Roll it into the flatbread without tearing — that is the art, and it takes years of practice. Eat it burning hot, drowned in tup: on that day, even an austere queen smiles.
Ingredients (period version)
- Split chickpeas (chana dal) — one bowl (filling)
- Jaggery (gur) — as much as dal (sweetener)
- Green cardamom — a few pods (flavor)
- Nutmeg — one, grated (flavor)
- Wheat flour — two bowls (dough)
- Ghee (tup) — as desired (cooking and finish)
Ingredients
- Chana dal (split chickpeas) — 200 g (filling)
- Jaggery (or whole cane sugar) — 200 g (sweetener)
- Ground green cardamom — 1/2 tsp (flavor)
- Grated nutmeg — 1 pinch (flavor)
- Wheat flour — 250 g (dough)
- Ghee — 4 tbsp (cooking and finish)
- Water and a pinch of salt — as needed (dough)
Method
- Cook chana dal in water until tender, drain well.
- Blend with jaggery and heat in a pan until a thick paste (puran) forms; flavor with cardamom and nutmeg, let cool.
- Knead a soft dough from flour, water, salt and a little ghee; rest 30 min.
- Roll a dough ball, place a puran ball inside, seal and gently roll into a thin disc.
- Cook on a hot griddle, brushing with ghee on each side until golden spots appear.
- Serve warm, drizzled with melted ghee.
How it was made : Puran poli has accompanied Maratha festivals (Holi, Gudi Padwa, Diwali) for centuries; it is among the naivedya, foods first offered to the deity before being shared. Jaggery replaced refined sugar, which was rare and costly.
The contemporary twist : Serve with a glass of warm saffron milk (quick basundi) for dipping, like a royal snack.
Ahilyabai Holkar · Charactorium
