Puran Poli

Holi morning in a Pune kitchen, and the smell of jaggery melting into cooked chana dal is everywhere in the house. Someone is at the tawa and is not going to be relieved for a while. The polis come off one at a time, thin, pale gold with brown spots, and go straight onto a plate where a spoon of ghee is poured over and disappears into the surface. Katachi amti in a bowl on the side. Every family is convinced their hand is the right one.

The filling is two things, so both have to be worth tasting. Our Organic Jaggery is unrefined, so it brings a deep caramel note and a warm brown colour that white sugar cannot. Gir Cow's A2 Ghee goes into the puran, onto the tawa and again onto the plate, and that last spoon melting into a hot poli is the whole point of the dish. The dough gets wooden cold pressed groundnut oil, which keeps it stretchy enough to roll very thin without tearing.

The one rule: the puran must be dry. Stand a spoon upright in the middle of the cooked filling. If it stays standing, you are ready. If it slides over, cook another three or four minutes. A wet puran will burst through the dough no matter how carefully you roll.

How to make it

1. Pressure cook the chana dal with 2½ cups water for 5 to 6 whistles, about 20 minutes, till it mashes easily between two fingers but is not soupy. Drain it in a colander set over a bowl. Keep that dal water aside for katachi amti.
2. Mix the wheat flour, maida and salt. Add 3 tbsp groundnut oil and rub it in. Add warm water little by little and knead for 8 to 10 minutes into a very soft, almost sticky dough. Smear 1 tsp oil over it, cover, and rest for 30 minutes.
3. Heat 1 tsp ghee in a heavy kadhai. Add the drained dal and the jaggery. Cook on medium-low, stirring often, for 12 to 15 minutes. The jaggery melts and loosens everything first, then the mix thickens and starts leaving the sides of the pan.
4. Stand a spoon upright in the centre. If it stays up, the puran is done. Switch off. Stir in the cardamom, nutmeg, and the sonth and fennel if using.
5. While it is still hot, mash the puran completely smooth with a puran yantra, a potato masher or a few pulses in a food processor. Even one lump will tear the poli. Cool till just warm and divide into 8 balls.
6. Divide the dough into 8. Take one, roll it into a 8 cm disc, place a puran ball in the middle, gather the edges over the top and pinch shut. Press flat with your palm.
7. Dust with rice flour and roll gently to about 16 cm, turning the poli a quarter turn after every two rolls. Use light, even pressure from the centre outwards.
8. Roast on a medium-hot tawa for 30 to 40 seconds till pale spots appear. Flip, brush with ghee, flip again and brush the other side. Total 2 minutes, till both sides carry golden brown spots.
9. Serve hot with a spoon of Gir Cow's A2 Ghee poured over, and katachi amti or a glass of warm milk on the side.

Tips

• Storage: keeps 2 days in an airtight box at room temperature, or 5 days in the fridge. Warm on a tawa with a little ghee before serving.
• Make ahead: the puran can be cooked and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Bring it to room temperature before stuffing. Knead the dough fresh on the day.
• Substitution: use all whole wheat flour if you prefer. The dough is less stretchy, so roll a slightly thicker poli and it will be fine.
• If the poli keeps bursting, the puran was too wet. Spread it on a plate, dry it on low heat for 3 to 4 minutes, cool, and try again.
• Do not throw the dal water. Add tamarind, jaggery and goda masala to it for katachi amti, the thin spicy soup Maharashtrians drink with puran poli.