Executive Chef Amit Kocharekar at The Resort, Mumbai shares his recipe to make authentic Maharashtrian-style Puran Poli.
Puran Poli with Katachi Amti
Serves: 5
Ingredients
For the poli
- 500 gm channa dal
- 500 gm jaggery
- 15 gm cardamom powder
- 10 gm nutmeg powder
- 500 gm refined flour
- 60 gm oil
- Around 120 to 150 ml water
- Ghee
- Salt as per taste
For the amti
- 3 cups dal water
- 3 cloves
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 curry leaves
- 15 gm jaggery
- 1 tsp tamarind paste
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 1 tsp goda masala
- 1 tbsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp hing (asafoetida)
- 1-2 tbsp grated coconut, roasted
- Coriander leaves, for the garnish
Method
For the poli
- Soak the channa dal in water for 2 to 3 hours.
- Drain the water and cook the dal in a pressure cooker for 6-7 whistles.
- Don't throw the water in which the dal was cooked. You can keep it for the amti.
- Grate the jaggery and keep it ready.
- Add the jaggery and the cardamom and nutmeg powders to the cooked dal, after draining any excess water.
- Add a pinch of salt to the flour and knead it with water and oil to make a dough.
Once the dough is smooth and soft, keep it aside.
- Make small balls of the dough and roll it into small circles (2 to 3 inches wide).
Stuff it with the cooked dal mixture and seal the sides.
Roll it again and make medium or large-sized polis, depending on the dough and the filling.
- On a heated tawa, spread some ghee and cook the poli on both sides (until you see a few brown spots).
Apply ghee on top and serve.
For the amti
- Take the leftover water from the boiled dal.
- Add the red chilli powder, coriander powder, goda masala, bay leaf, cloves and mix well.
- Boil it well.
- Add roasted coconut, tamarind paste, jaggery and cook for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Heat oil in a little pan. Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, hing and curry leaves.
After the seeds stop spluttering -- be careful that they don't burn -- pour the whole thing into the dal.
- Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.
