How to Make Puran Poli at Home?

To the uninitiated, Puran Poli might sound like a complex dish. However, in reality, it’s a simple and scrumptious Indian dessert. Essentially, Puran Poli is a sweet flatbread made with jaggery and gram flour or chana dal. While it looks like a regular roti or chapati, the taste is on an entirely different level. It is subtly sweet, soft, and simply melts in the mouth.

Originating from the Indian subcontinent, Puran Poli has different names and variations across various regions. Be it Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, or Andhra Pradesh, this delicacy is celebrated with minor regional tweaks but with the same core essence.

To embark on your journey of making the perfect Puran Poli, you will need the following ingredients:

• 1 cup Chana Dal (split Bengal gram)
• 1 cup Jaggery (grated)
• ½ teaspoon Cardamom powder
• A pinch of nutmeg (optional)

• 1½ cups Whole Wheat Flour
• 1-2 teaspoons Oil or Ghee
• Water as required
• A pinch of Salt

• Ghee or Clarified Butter (for roasting)
• Flour (for dusting)

Now that you have your ingredients ready, let’s dive into the process of how to make Puran Poli from scratch.

1. Wash the chana dal thoroughly and soak it for about 1-2 hours.
2. Drain the water and cook the dal in a pressure cooker with enough water to submerge it. Give it about 3-4 whistles or until the dal is soft and mushy.
3. Once cooked, drain any excess water and mash the dal to a smooth paste. You can use a blender for a finer texture.
4. In a non-stick pan, add the mashed dal and grated jaggery. Cook on a medium flame, stirring continuously until the jaggery melts.
5. Keep cooking until the mixture thickens. Add cardamom powder and nutmeg. Mix well and set aside to cool.

1. In a mixing bowl, take the wheat flour and add a pinch of salt. Mix well.
2. Gradually add water and knead into a soft dough.
3. Once the dough is almost ready, add the oil or ghee and knead again until the dough is soft and pliable. Let it rest for 15-20 minutes.

1. Divide the dough and puran mixture into equal-sized balls. The Puran balls should be slightly bigger than the dough balls.
2. Take a dough ball and roll it out a bit. Place the Puran ball in the centre and fold the dough over, sealing the edges.
3. Dust it with some flour and gently roll it out to a size of a regular roti or chapati, making sure the filling spreads evenly.

1. Heat a tawa or skillet on medium flame. Once hot, place the rolled-out Puran Poli on it.
2. Cook until small bubbles appear on the surface, then flip it.
3. Apply some ghee on the cooked side and press gently with a spatula. Flip again and apply ghee on the other side. The Puran Poli should be golden brown on both sides.
4. Remove from heat and repeat with the remaining dough and filling.

Puran Poli tastes best when served hot with a dollop of ghee on top. You can also serve it with milk or aamras (mango pulp) during the mango season.

The richness and authenticity of the Puran Poli recipe lie in its simplicity and the delightful melding of flavours. Whether you’re celebrating a festival or just craving something sweet, this guide on how to make Puran Poli will surely help you create memories with your loved ones.

We hope this in-depth look into the world of Puran Poli helps you not only understand its significance but also enables you to make it effortlessly at home. So, the next time someone asks, “What is Puran Poli?”, you can not only explain but also treat them with this delectable dish!