Puran poli, a sweet flatbread, stuffed with lentil and jaggery. A traditional recipe made during festive occasions like Ganesh Chaturthi, Holi and regional New year celebrations.
Puran Poli Recipe | How to make Dal poli | Chana dal Sweet poli | Paruppu Poli Recipe | How to make chana dal poli | Wheat flour poli recipe | Maharashtrian style chana dal poli | Sweet Dal poli | How to make dal poli | Paruppu Poli | Whole wheat poli
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What is Puran Poli | Holige | Boli
Puran poli is a popular Indian sweet flatbread in South India. Puran refers to the sweet chana dal stuffing, while poli refers to the flatbread. It is also known by different names like Holige, Obbattu, and Bobbattlu in various states.
This tasty flatbread is made with wheat flour/Maida, or a mix of both. The filling includes chana dal and jaggery, flavored with cardamom, ginger powder, and nutmeg. It is cooked with ghee, but can also be made with a neutral oil for a vegan version.
The texture and taste of Dal poli can vary from region to region, with some areas making it thinner and crispier, while others make it thicker and softer.
Tamilnadu Style Boli
In Tamil Nadu, we call it boli. We have a boli stall almost on every street corner, where we get hot boli's straight off the stove. There are different varieties of boli, like chana dal boli, coconut boli with sweet coconut and jaggery filling.
My personal favorite is savory masala poli stuffed with spicy potato masala, studded with herbs and sprinkled with gun powder.
The method of preparing Puran Poli varies by region. Some flatten the dough with a rolling pin, while others shape it by hand. In Tamil Nadu, boli dough is made of Maida for its stretchiness and is shaped by patting on a greased paper or banana leaf.
How to Serve Puran Poli
In Maharashtra, Puran Poli is traditionally served with Katachi Amti. A flavorful curry made using the leftover water from cooking Chana Dal for the Puran Poli.
Boli in Tamilnadu, is served with an extra dose of ghee on top, hot boli with ghee is pure bliss. In Kerala poli is served with palada pradhaman.
Ingredients to Make Maharashtrian Puran Poli
- Flour : I have used Wheat flour in this recipe, you can use a combination of wheat flour and Maida too. I have added a dash of turmeric powder and salt to the dough.
- Dal : This flavorsome poli is made with chana dal filling.
- Sweetener : This poli recipe uses organic powdered jaggery as sweetener.
- Flavoring : I have used cardamom powder and dry ginger powder for the filling. You can also add a pinch of nutmeg powder.
- Fat : I have used ghee to knead the dough, for the filling and also to cook the poli.
How to Make Sweet Chana Dal Poli
Please check recipe card below for exact measurements of each ingredient used and also for the detailed instructions
- Wash and soak Chana dal for an hour. Pressure cook until soft, mash well.
- In a heavy bottom pan, add a tablespoon of ghee, add the mashed Chana dal, add jaggery, cardamom and dry ginger powder, let it cook and come together like a ball.
- Add ghee mentioned in between to help it to come together. Take it off heat let it rest.
- Make a soft and pliable dough with flour. Soft dough helps to stretch it well while rolling, so soft stretchy dough it is.
- Divide dough and stuffing equally. I made 12 Poli with the above measurement.
- Dust your rolling surface with flour. Take a portion of dough, stuff, cover and roll the dough to a thin disc.
- Cook in a medium flame with ghee on both sides and enjoy it hot .
Leftover Puran poli can be left on the counter for a day. If storing for more days, keep it in an air-tight container in the fridge. While serving, reheat each poli for 10 seconds in the microwave, drizzle some ghee on top and serve hot.
Few Flavorsome Flatbreads
If you think stuffed breads are only found in Asian cuisine, then you are mistaken. Check this flaky and tasty Omani maldouf, dates stuffed flatbread.
Sri Lankan Pol roti, a flavorsome flatbread with coconut and spices. We love this Turkish Gozleme, hearty flatbread or this Romanian Placinta, both the breads are almost similar to our aloo paratha.
Few Points to Note
- If you are making the dough with whole wheat flour, make sure you are making a soft and stretchy dough. The dough shouldn't be sticky, but soft and supple.
- The chana dal stuffing should be dry. Drain the water from the dal and mash it well. When cooked with jaggery and ghee, it should come together well.
- When it cools down, you should be able to roll it in to a nice ball.
- Do not skimp on the ghee, unless you are vegan. Ghee imparts flavor and also helps to keep the poli soft.
Puran Poli Recipe | How to Make Maharashtrian Puran Poli
Equipment
- Tava to cook the poli
- Bowl for making the dough
Ingredients
For the stuffing
- 1 cup chana dal/gram dal/Kadalai paruppu
- 1 cup powdered jaggery
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
- ½ teaspoon dry ginger powder
- 2-3 tablespoon ghee
For the dough
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1.25 cups water to knead the dough
- 2 pinches of salt
- a dash of turmeric powder
- 1-2 tablespoon ghee
Instructions
Let's make the Chana Dal Stuffing
- Wash and soak chana dal in water for an hour minimum. I soaked the dal previous day night so ease cooking next day. 1 cup chana dal/gram dal/Kadalai paruppu
- After an hour of soaking, drain the water. Add fresh water to immerse the dal well. Pressure cook the dal with a pinch of turmeric powder for 4-5 whistles.
- Let the pressure drop on its own. Once done, open the pressure cooker. Take the dal out. Drain any excess water from the cooked dal. This drained water can be used to make katachi amti or be used to make other dishes.
Let's make the sweet chana dal stuffing
- Mash the cooked chana dal well with a potato masher or using back of a ladle.
- Heat a heavy bottom pan, with 2 teaspoon of ghee. Add the mashed dal and jaggery to this. Let the jaggery melt and mix well with the soft dal. 2-3 tablespoon ghee 1 cup powdered jaggery
- To this add cardamom powder and dry ginger powder. You can also add a pinch of nutmeg powder to this. Mix well.½ teaspoon cardamom powder
- Let this cook and come together like a soft ball. Add the remaining ghee towards the end and mix well. There should not be any moisture in the chana dal jaggery stuffing. 2-3 tablespoon ghee
- Once it comes together with no moisture, take it off the heat. Let this cool completely.
Let's make the dough for Puran Poli
- Take the wheat flour along with turmeric and salt mentioned in the ingredients for dough. Mix well. 2 cups whole wheat flour 2 pinches of salt a dash of turmeric powder
- Add half the ghee to the flour mix and mix it well. Add water little by little and make a soft, pliable dough. Add the remaining towards the end to the dough. 1-2 tablespoon ghee
- The dough should be soft and supple. This helps while we roll the dough with the stuffing.
- A tight dough will not spread thin while rolling and break. So take care while kneading the dough and get a soft, supple dough. Once done, let the dough rest for a minimum of 15 minutes.
Let's Make Puran Poli
- Divide the dough and the stuffing into 12 equal portions. I made slightly big poli's. You can make it small also, the size of your palm. So divide accordingly.
- Dust the rolling surface with flour. Take a portion of dough, flatten it in your palm. Take a portion of chana dal stuffing and place it in the middle.
- Stretch the edges of the dough and cover the stuffing. If your dough is soft and supple, it will easily stretch here and cover the stuffing.
- Now carefully flatten the ball into a thick disc in your palm. Dust the disc with little flour and start rolling into a large disc.
- Take care while rolling, Roll, turn and roll. While you are rolling the poli, heat a cast iron tava to cook the polis.
- Place the rolled poli on the hot tava. Use ghee and cook both the sides until nicely done.
- If the flatbread is rolled well without any tears, the flatbread puffs up nicely. If it doesn't puff up, dont worry, just cook it nicely on both sides.
- It takes at least a minute or two, patience is required while cooking. Keep the flame medium and cook, high flame might burn the poli.
- Repeat the process with rest of the poli. Keep the cooked poli covered in a casserole. Enjoy the poli warm with a drizzle of ghee.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
I m not a Doctor or a Nutritionist The Nutrition information provided above comes from the plugin and is only an estimate.
Priya Suresh
Feel like grabbing few polis from the click..just love it..
lata raja
Great looking polis. Simply yummy.
Anonymous
super appu
engaiyo poita
Poornima Sawant
Priya_Srinivasan
That Anonymous is my sister!!!! Happy to see her recipe, well followed.
Anju
hey priya...maida is also one cup right???
Priya_Srinivasan
oopsie!! sorry anju, all these days didnt know this mistake. wwwf 1 cup, maida is 1/2 cup.
Mayuri Patel
Puran poli or vedmi as we call in Gujarati is a popular preparation especially during festivals. The difference is that we use toor dal and sugar. The dough is always made with wheat flour. Both hubby and I love it. I'll have to try it with chana dal and jaggery filling.
Seema Sriram
Thanks to Mum being an excellent cook, I have never attempted to make any puran poli. I will try your recipe to give me the boost to meet standards.
Renu
I made this puran poli last week and it turned out so delicious. Thank you for the recipe, though the process is long, it is worth it. Sharing this with my family.
Sharon
This was delicious, and my whole family enjoyed it. Thank you so much for sharing!
Julianne
Such a great recipe and so easy to follow!
Elaine
I've been experimenting with cooking with ghee and found your site. These were absolutely delicious and you are so right, don't skip the ghee!
Sage
This was so good!
Molly
I was a little intimidated to make this but I followed the instructions exactly and it turned out great! We will make this again.