Puran Poli : Maharastra Recipe

Happy New Year to all my reader friends.This year I have decided to post specialities of different states each month. So starting with a Sweet one Puran Poli one of the Maharastrian delicacies prepared mostly on festive occasions like Ganesh chaturthi or Diwali.

Puran Poli is aFlat bread stuffed with a sweet lentil filling prepared with Chana dal/Split bengal gram dal , jaggery and little cardamom powder. Puran meaning Stuffing and Poli meaning Cover in Marathi langauge in enjoyed in most of the households.

Ingredients:

For Stuffing/ Puran:

1 Cup Chana dal Soaked for 3-4 hours
3 Tbsp Powdered Jaggery
Pinch of Cardamom Powder
1/2 Tsp Dry Ginger Powder

For Poli:
It is the Same atta dough we use for our Chappattis or Rotis. I have added ajwain to the dough which is optional.

Wheat Flour
Salt
Water
1/4 tsp ajwain/carom seeds(optional)

Prepare the dough and keep aside.


Take the chana dal in a pressure cooker and cook till done.

Strain the chana dal and mash with a spoon or potato masher . Add jaggery , ginger powder and cardamom powder.

Cook the dal mixture in a pan so that all water evaporates.
Now let it cool.

Now divide the dough into equal parts and stuff the dal mixture into it.

Roll and cook both sides on a gridle. Apply butter or ghee to both sides.

Enjoy with spicy Pickle.

Gota kalara Bhaja / Stuffed Bittergourd / Bharwan Karela

This is the one of the easiest way to prepare stuffed bittergourd. After so many years I got my eyes on small varieties of karela in my grocery store and at once I bought those little green beauties.

Ingredients:
12 bittergourd
1 Medium sized boiled Potato
1 Onion
1 Tbsp MDH Tava Fry Masala
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
Salt to sprinke on Karela to release water
Olive Oil for Shallow Frying

Sprinkle Salt on peeled Karela and leave it for 15 minutes. Then Squeeze the water and keep it aside.

Mash the boiled Potatoes.

Heat 1 Tbsp oil add chopped onion and fry till translucent.

Now add the tawa fry masala.

Add the mashed potatoes and cook for 2 minutes.

Now the stuffing is ready.

Stuff the karelas.

Tie a thread around so that the stuffing doesnot come out.

Use White thread,If you use colour threads there may be some coloured karelas too.

Now shallow fry these stuffed karelas.

Now Enjoy these green beauties with steamed white Rice.

Kasoori methi Luchi

Luchi is a fried bread popular in Bengal and odisha and being one of my favourites most of the time in our dining table.This time I have tried to add Kasoori methi to the normal Luchi dough and the flavour of kasoori Methi is awesome. Just give it a try for any of your parties and I am sure it is crowd pleasure.

Ingredients:
1 cup Maida / All purpose flour
2 Tbsp Kasoori Methi
1/2 Tsp Nigella seeds
Salt
1 Tsp Oil
Oil for Deep Frying

Mix Maida, Methi, Nigella seeds, salt and oil to make a pliable dough. Roll into circular discs and fry till it is golden colour. I enjoyed these beauties with Paneer Capsicum sabji which I will be posting soon.