Puran Poli is a sweet, stuffed flatbread thats popular all over India. The key is to make a very soft dough so that the final parathas are really soft and pliable.
1CupWater for kneadingapprox, add more if necessary
For the filling:
1CupChana Dal
2CupsWater for cooking Chana Dal
3TablespoonGheedivided
1 ¼CupJaggeryadjust to taste
8-10Saffron Strands soaked in hot milk or water
½TeaspoonCardamom Powder
Instructions
Wash chana dal and then soak it in water for 30 minutes. Drain the water and then pressure cook chana dal in 2 Cups water till soft. This takes 25 minutes in the Instant Pot.
While the dal is cooking, mix together atta, maida and salt in a large bowl. Then add water little by little and knead it into a soft, supple dough. Cover and set aside for 20-30 minutes.
Once the chana dal is cooked, strain all the excess water. You can use the water the next time you are kneading dough or mix it in curry or dal.
In a pan, heat 1 Tablespoon ghee and add the cooked chana dal. Using a masher or the back of a spatula, mash the dal till completely broken down. Add jaggery, soaked saffron and cardamom powder. Mix well, and cook this mixture till it thickens and starts to come together in a bowl. Set aside to cool completely.
When ready to roll out the puran poli, take a golf ball sized piece of dough. Form into a bowl, flatten it slightly and dust both sides with flour. Roll this out till approx 3.5 inches in diameter. Place a heaped tablespoon of chana dal filling in the centre and scrunch the edges together till they completely cover the chana dal.
Dust the ball again with flour and roll it out as thin as possible.
To cook the puran polis, heat the tava and place the rolled out puran poli on it. Cook it till you start seeing bubbles appear on the surface. Flip it over and smear it with ghee. Cook for a minute or two and then flip it on the other side. Smear with ghee. Cook both sides till nice and golden brown. Serve hot topped with more ghee. Repeat with the rest of the dough and filling.