Puran Poli with Wheat Flour | How to make Puran Poli with Wheat Flour

Puran Poli with Wheat Flour is not only a delicious recipe but nutritious too. Puran Poli is an Indian flat bread, like a chapati, with a sweet filling of lentil and jaggery.

These flatbreads or Puran Poli is a very popular recipe from the Indian states of Maharashtra and Gujarat. They are made on festive occasions like Holi and Ganesh Chaturthi.

Poli is bread and the sweet stuffing of chana dal and jaggery is puran, hence ‘Puran Poli’. These are rolled out like a chapati and then roasted on hot tawa till soft and fluffy.

The secret to making a good Puran Poli lies in its dough as well as the Puran or stuffing. If you do not get even one of these right then you will ruin your Puran Poli. Making Puran Poli is an Art but not so complicated that you cannot master it.

How to make Puran Poli with Wheat Flour (Step-by-Step)

Making Puran Poli involves 3 simple steps. If you get these steps right then rest assured that your Puran Poli will turn out to be perfect. Let’s go through these steps and see how we can make a perfect Puran Poli at home.

Step – I – Making the Puran (Chana Dal and Jaggery Stuffing)

• Some people prefer to use Toor Dal for the stuffing but generally, in Maharashtra, we prefer Chana Dal. Rinse the Chana Dal (split gram lentil) well to get rid of any dirt or coating on it. Then preferably soak the Chana Dal in water for 30 minutes before cooking.

• Now transfer the dal into a pressure cooker along with the water. Add more water, if required. Also, add a little salt to taste and some turmeric powder too. Cook for 2 to 3 whistles till done but do not overcook the dal.

• You can also cook the dal in a vessel instead of a pressure cooker. But don’t forget to remove the scum that forms on the top of the dal while cooking in a vessel.

• When the dal is well done, soft but not mushy, switch off the flame and strain the dal. Keep the stock aside and use it to make a delicious soup-like gravy – Katachi Amti.

• Transfer this chana dal to an open pan and add chopped jaggery. Also, add cardamom powder and place the pan on a medium to low flame till the jaggery melts. Continue to keep stirring at intervals until the chana dal and jaggery mixture is completely dry. Then switch off the flame and allow this mixture to completely cool.

• Blend this mixture into a smooth thick paste in your mixie. Families who make Puran Polis regularly have an appliance called Puran yantra for smoothening this stuffing. It mashes all bits of the chana dal to make a smooth Puran for the polis. Alternately, you could use a potato masher as well for this purpose.

• After the Puran is ready, set it aside and allow it to come to room temperature and then proceed with the next step.

Step – II – Making the Puran Poli Dough with Wheat Flour

• Take whole wheat flour in a bowl and add salt and oil. Add water gradually and knead the flour to form a soft dough.

• You could make the Puran Poli dough with whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour or a combination of whole wheat and all-purpose flour. To keep it healthy, I like to use only whole wheat flour for the Poli or flatbread.

• When you have a soft pliable dough, smear it with a little oil and then cover and set it aside for at least 10 minutes.

Step – III – Prepare Puran Poli

• Take a small ball of the Puran Poli Dough, the size of a lemon. Now try to form a small cup of the dough on the palm of your hands, with your fingers.

• Take a big ball of the Puran and stuff as much as you can into this dough cup. Then cover it on all sides. Seal gaps, if any with some dough so as not to let the Puran out while rolling the Poli. To get a good stuffed Puran Poli, the quantity of the Puran should be more than the dough.

• Now roll this as much as you can into a round chapati. Add dry flour to the dough so that it does not stick while rolling. The thinner you roll this out the better your Puran Poli will turn out. If you do not get the first Puran Poli right, don’t lose heart, with practice you will roll out the perfect Puran Poli.

• Heat a Tawa or a pan and place this Puran Poli and roast it on a medium to low flame till done on both the side. Apply pure ghee to keep the Puran Poli flavourful and soft.

• Similarly, prepare the rest of the Puran Poli till the Puran and the dough is exhausted.

Puran Poli Video Recipe

How to Store Puran Poli

• Store the Puran Poli in a casserole to keep them soft. You can store them at room temperature for 24 hours. Thereafter, cover the Puran Poli with a muslin cloth and place them in the casserole and refrigerate. This will keep the Puran Poli fresh for up to 3 to 4 days.

• Heat the Puran Poli in a microwave for 10 to 15 seconds before you could serve it. Alternately, place the Puran Poli on a hot Tawa and heat it on both sides for a few seconds, and apply some ghee over it.

Serving Suggestions

Traditionally, in Maharashtra Puran Poli is served with a gravy of the Chana Dal Stock. This is a spicy red gravy that is best enjoyed with the sweet Puran Poli.

Alternately, you can enjoy Puran Poli, smeared with pure ghee, with your hot cup of tea or coffee.

Other festive desserts that you may like to try out

• MOONG DAL PAYASAM

• BESAN LADOO