How to make Poli? (Puran Poli)(A Soft bread with a sweet Filling)

POLI

Even though it feels like a lot of steps, trust me the end result is worth it!

You Need:
To make the Dough:
2 cups of Maida
3/4cups of whole wheat flour,
a pinch of Turmeric Powder
1 and 1/2 tablespoons oil.

To Make the Pooranam:
1 and 1/2 cups of Channa Dal
1 and 1/2 cups of Jaggery
2 Handfuls of Shredded Coconut
2 Tablespoons Ghee
1 Tsp Elaichi Powder



Poli is usually made on the last day of the Tamizh Month Maarkazhi.
That day is called "Bhogi". This is when you get rid of all the old things in the house, clean the house..kind of like spring cleaning ....


I was not really great in making this since I always would try and make it like a Paratha..
So I called in the Poli Expert, my sis in law Bhairavi, to help me.
Here is how she does it....

To make the dough:
She usually makes the dough a few hours in advance so it helps it to stretch well.
To make about 18 Polis she used about 2 cups of Maida and about 3/4cups of whole wheat flour, a pinch of Turmeric Powder and about 1 and 1/2 tablespoons oil.
She made the dough by hand and made it into a nice ball.



Here is dough she will use a few hours later.....


To make the Pooranam (filling)

As you can see Step by step
----> Roast about 1 and 1/2 cups of Channa Dal until you can smell it and it turns in to a rose color.
---> Pressure cook it in the cooker and you may add little water.
---> Once it cools down, put this in a food processor and add about 2 handfuls of shredded coconut (optional) to this and grind to a smooth paste.
---> It has to be smooth and creamy before you proceed.
---> Transfer to a microwave safe bowl and add jaggery to this.
---> Put this in the microwave for 3 minutes at a time until you get to the point where the jaggery has completely melted and has incorporated in to the channa dal mixture
(look at the last picture)
---> You can add some ghee and Elaichi(Optional) to this and make it smell nice..



And then you proceed to make the Poli,

Pinch off a small piece of dough and stuff with pooranam (The pooranam amount should equal two times of the dough) and cover completely with the dough and proceed to flatten it with your fingers and roast on a tawa and you can eat Hot Polis
(Optional) you may add some ghee once it is cooked on one side before you turn it over....

Enjoy!!

Thenga Podi (Coconut Powder (Mix) with rice)

Mina, my friend commented that tamilians make a lot of podi's (mixes), which is so true. We really do make these mixes and keep so that on the days there is nothing to eat, you can just make rice and eat the podi rice. You can even make this rice for your guests...

This is just one of those podi's...

The perfect combination for this thenga podi rice is " Sutta Arisi Applam" which means rice papad made on the stove, mmmm...

I ended up with two extra coconuts soon after Ganesh Chathurthi celebrations, and had this coconut grater that I bought in Apna Bazaar, in Seattle. My kids helped me in grating the coconuts...

This mix lasts long in the fridge, provided you handle it with care, (no wet spoons or wet hands)

You need

Grated Coconut - 3 Cups

Urad Dal - 1 ½ Cups

Dry Red Chillies - 1 ½ Cups (whole Chillies)

Tamarind - Small Lime Size

Salt - 3 Tbsp

Hing - 2 Tsp

Oil - 2 Tbsp

Method

--->The whole thing should be done on a medium flame.

--->In a Kadai, add the oil, roast the urad dal until it is light red in color, add the hing and the tamarind and roast until the urad dal is red in color.

--->Take out the roasted Urad Dal and pour on a plate to cool

--->Next in the same kadai, add the red chillies, roast it well, add little more oil if needed.

--->Take out the roasted chillies, on a plate to cool.

--->In the same kadai, add little oil and roast the grated coconut until it becomes rose in color.

Once everything is cool, put everything, and add salt to this and make a fine powder in your Indian Mixer Grinder.

Mix this powder, with hot rice and little Gingelly Oil, and to have the utimate effect, you should try it with the Rice papad!!