Puran Poli & Katachi Amti

Every time I prepare a Maharashtrian dish, I feel on the top of the world. Today’s post is the very popular Puran Poli & Katachi Amti which is a must at festive occasions but especially for Holi.

I have very sweet memories of this gorgeous Puran Poli which is one of my favorites. My Maharashtrian friends & neighbours always made sure that I got my share of this lovely delicacy.

Each home has their unique & special recipe. Some prepare the dough with only maida/refined flour while some make it with a mix of wheat flour & maida & there are many who use only wheat flour like I do. The Gujaratis use Tuvar dal to make the puran while in Pune & other parts of Maharashtra use Chana dal for the puran. To sum up, there are many variations to the Puran Poli across different states of India…

Puran Poli is one of the original Maharashtrian desserts/sweet dish which is not served at the end of the meal but as a part of the main meal. In Maharashtra Holi is known as Rangapanchami (festival of colors) & is celebrated with Puran Poli & Katachi Amti (spicy curry).

The preparation of a perfect Puran Poli is considered a highly skilled task… an art!! This Puran Poli is healthy to eat & easy to prepare. I just love this traditional & authentic poli with these flavorful sweet spices… It can be enjoyed hot with amti as well as cold with sweet milk. It stays well & can be kept in the fridge for upto 3-4 days. You can even make the puran & keep in the fridge & use it to make during the week.

I hope you enjoy this wonderful poli just the way I do… Happy Holi to all my dear visitors! 😀

Ingredients for the Puran:

300 gms. Chana Dal
350 gms. Sugarcane Jaggery (Gud)
1/4 tsp. Vegetable Oil
10 Green Cardamoms (peeled)
¼ piece Nutmeg(Jaiphal)
1 tbsp. Aniseed (Sauf)
1 tbsp. dry Ginger pwd.(Saunth)
½ tsp. Salt
Water as required

Procedure for making the Puran (Sweet Chana Dal Stuffing):
First, grind cardamom, nutmeg & aniseed to a fine pwd. Keep aside to use later.

Wash the chana dal & boil with sufficient water in a pressure cooker upto 2 whistles along with oil & salt.

Release steam immediately & strain out the extra water completely through a strainer. Reserve the strained water to prepare the amti later.

Transfer the strained dal in a deep & thick bottomed vessel (I used my pressure cooker). Add jaggery & cook till the mixture gets very thick.

Add the powdered aromatic spices & dry ginger powder & stir well to incorporate the spices thoroughly.

Switch off the heat & pass the hot thick dal-jaggery mixture either through a sieve or a puran maker (I used a food processor).

The puran should be fine & smooth.

In case it is slightly mushy, cook again till it dries up & starts leaving the sides of the vessel to form a thick dough.

Take care that the puran does not burn at the bottom.

Cool the puran thoroughly.

Your puran is ready to stuff & make the poli.

Ingredients for the Poli (Flat Bread)

250 gms. Wheat Flour
1 tsp. Vegetable Oil
½ tsp. Salt
Water as required to knead the dough
Pure Ghee/Home made ghee to drizzle & to serve

To prepare the Dough for the Puran Poli :
Combine wheat flour, oil & salt & knead to a smooth pliable dough with sufficient water. Keep aside for about an hour before using to make puran polis.

Procedure for Assembling & Roasting the Puran Polis :
Divide the prepared puran mixture into small balls (lemon sized or ping pong ball sized)or depending on the size of the polis you wish to make.

Divide the flour dough into slightly smaller balls than the puran balls.

Spread the dough to make a depression to fill the stuffing.

Place the stuffing & enclose completely with the flour dough.

Roll out gently into round chapattis/discs taking care that the stuffing does not spill out or ooze out.

Roast on a hot griddle, iron tawa/non-stick tawa till done on both sides & lightly golden. Apply some ghee while roasting on both sides. Roast till done.

Serve hot with pure ghee & amti.

You may even serve the puran polis with sweetened milk.

Enjoy!!!!

Ingredients for the Katachi Amti :

Reserved strained Chana Dal Water(about 3 cups) or prepare fresh in case you do not have the reserved one.

4 fresh Garlic cloves
¼ inch piece fresh Ginger
4 tbsps. fresh grated Coconut or dry dessicated Coconut
4 tbsps. freshly chopped Coriander
1 tsp. Kanda Lehsun Masala (Onion-Garlic Masala)
1 tbsp. Goda Masala or made at home
½ tsp. Kala Masala (Black Masala available in select stores in Pune/Maharashtra)/homemade
2 fresh sprigs of Curry Leaves
½ tsp. roasted Jeera Pwd. (optional)
¼ tsp. Turmeric Pwd.
½ tsp. Vegetable Oil or pure Ghee
Salt to taste
Jaggery to taste (optional)