I’ll blame it on the present times. I was done with work and eyeing the ingredients in my pantry when my husband said, “Why don’t you try making Puran Polis?” It is a favorite dish of my mother in law and of course, my parents love it too. These dessert flatbreads when done right melt in your mouth, the jaggery and sugar sweetened, cardamom and saffron flavored, flattened chickpea stuffing forming a flavor medley with the covering doused with ghee. I had always thought of this as a difficult preparation, but after reading a few different recipes, created this version that was a bit time consuming, but not difficult.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup atta (whole wheat flour used to make chapatis)
- 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- A pinch of salt
- A tbsp of cooking oil (I used vegetable oil)
- 1 cup chana dal (baby chickpeas that have been split and polished)
- 1/2 cup jaggery or dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tsp cardamom powder
- A couple of strands of saffron crushed
- 1 tbsp ghee
- Ghee for smearing on the completed puran polis
How to:
1. In a bowl, or in a stand mixer with a dough hook, combine the flours, salt, and cooking oil along with enough water to form a smooth pliable dough (should feel like soft play dough). Cover the dough and set aside for 30 minutes.
2. Cook the chana dal with two cups of water on the stove, or in the Instant Pot on high pressure mode for 20 minutes. Let the pressure release on its own.
2. Drain the cooked dal and transfer to a pan.
3. Over medium heat, add the jaggery and sugar to the cooked chana dal and keep stirring for about 10-15 minutes so the mixture is thickened. It will look like play dough, but rough due to the the dal. Turn off the stove, add the cardamom, saffron, and the tbsp of ghee and mix well. With a hand blender, blend this mixture so it really does become smooth like play dough. Set the mixture aside to cool down. When it is cool, proceed to make the polis.
4. Divide the dough into eight balls. Divide the cooled sweet mixture into eight balls.
3. On a well floured board, roll a dough ball into a circle about 4 inches in diameter.
4. Put a ball of the stuffing at the center of the circle of dough, bring the dough from all sides to the centre and pinch at the top.
3. Pat the dough ball with the stuffing on the floured board and roll out gently to a circle about 6 inches in diameter. Set the poli aside on parchment paper and continue with each of the other balls of dough and stuffing in a similar way.
4. Warm a griddle or pan, and cook the polis one at a time, gently flipping the poli after a minute to the other side. When light brown spots appear, the poli is done. Transfer to a plate and smear with some ghee.
5. Serve warm.
a global affair 