Puran Poli

Puran Poli is our 'Family Favorite Dish'. Whenever it's my dad's birthday or parents' anniversary, I make this dish for sure. Having puran poli on such days makes me feel as if I am with them and we are celebrating together. And I am glad that HE also loves it as much as I do. I am little late in posting this, belated Happy B'day Dad!

Puran poli is ' A stuffed sweet roti' which is quite popular in West and South India, though I have tasted only Gujarati and Maharashtrian versions. Both of them use same ingredients but final dish is quite different. Maharashtrian one is thin and on drier side. While we Gujaratis have it thick, moist and applied with generous amount of ghee. Puran Poli with kadhi/ moong dal/ rice and cauliflower/okra curry is our all time favorite combination. The stuffing can be refrigerated for a week or so and rotis can be frozen for about a month or so. And the best part is, though it's a sweet dish, it's part of main course. So here is my sweet treat...

Makes 15-16 small rotis/polis

Preparation Time: 45 Minute + soaking time + cooling time

Cooking Time: 45 Minute

Ingredients

For stuffing,

1 cup toor dal (chana dal can also be used)

3/4 cup shredded jaggery **

1/4 cup sugar **

1/4 tsp cardamom powder

1/2 tsp poppy seeds

For dough,

2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp oil

Ghee to apply once they are ready

**  Only jaggery or only sugar can also be used. Total quantity should be equal to that of dal.

Procedure

1. Soak toor dal for 1-2 hours and pressure cook it with 1.25 cup of water
2. In a large thick bottom non-stick pan, mix cooked dal, jaggery and sugar
3. Start cooking this mixture uncovered on low flame and stir continuously
4. meanwhile in a separate bowl, sieve flour with oil and make roti like soft dough
5. Once dal mixture becomes thick and consistent, turn off the heat (If spatula can stand straight in this mixture without any support, it's considered done)
6. Sprinkle poppy seeds and cardamom powder
7. Once mixture is completely cooled down, divide dough into balls, stuff each ball with dal and gently roll a thick roti
8. Cook it on griddle on low flame without using oil/ghee on both sides until light brown
9. Apply ghee and serve hot