Maharashtrian Puran Poli

Puran poli is a classical Marathi dish, which is a dessert served during auspicious occasions and during important festivals such as Holi, Padwa in Maharashtra. Although it resembles like a roti, a poli is actually very different. It is made mostly during holi when the bonfire is lit. The stuffing is known as puran and the outer cover is known as poli. The puran is made by boiling chickpea lentils with a pinch of turmeric for color. When the lentils are cooked and soft, the broth is removed and kept aside.Jaggery is added to the chickpeas and cooked till they are soft. Then the stuffing is removed and sieved through a utensil made specifically for puran to achieve a smoother consistency. Saffron, cardamom, and nutmeg is added for additional flavor. The outer cover is made by making a dough by mixing refined flour, milk and ghee. Equal number of balls are made of the dough as well as the stuffing. The puran is stuffed inside the dough and then rolled out flat using a rolling pin. The poli is then cooked on a hot griddle and served with ghee and a soup made from the syurp.The stuffing is cooled to room temperature. Meanwhile, the outer dough is prepared. A very soft, rubbery dough is prepared by kneading polished wheat-flour with a little water and a large amount of oil. This is left soaked in oil for a few hours.