PURANPOLI/BOBBATTLU

This is a popular classic sweet made in south and west of India on festive occasions, called with different names in different states. It is puran poli as called in Maharastra, Bobbattlu in Andhra pradesh, Obbattu or holige in Karnataka, Poli in Tamilnadu. The stuffing is usually prepared with Chana dal and jaggery. Can make variations in the stuffing by replacing chanadal with toordal or using grated coconut to enhance taste. This is usually served with Ghee and sweetened milk.
INGREDIENTS

• Maida                      2 cups
• Water                      to mix
• Oil/ghee                  4 Tsp
• salt                          a pinch

FOR THE PURAN (STUFFING)

• Chana dal                   1 cup
• Jaggery                      3/4 cup
• Elachi powder            a pinch
• Ghee                          for frying

PROCEDURE Take maida in a bowl and add the salt and ghee/oil. Mix well till the mixture attained crumbling texture. Now slowly add water and make a stiff dough. Now add more of ghee/oil and knead the dough till soft. Let the dough rest for at least 1hour.  Add enough water to the dal and pressure cook it till soft. Take the dal onto a paper towel and remove the excess water if any. Cool the dal and grind it . Grate the jaggery and measure 3/4 cup. Add this to the grind dal. Mix well till everything incorporates  well and forms into a thick paste and easily made into a round.  Add the elaichi powder also. Divide the dough and the stuffing into equal parts. The dough should be equal to size of a small lemon . The stuffing should be double the size. The puran poli can be made in two different ways. METHOD1 Take the dough on a plastic sheet and press it gently into a round circle. Grease your hand to press easily. Now place the stuffing in the round, bring the dough edges onto the stuffing and seal it with the dough.( The procedure is same as making the aloo paratha). Again press the dough into a 5 inches circle by applying ghee on your hand. Heat the tava and place the puran poli on it. Add a tea spoon of ghee on each side and fry the puran poli till golden brown on both sides. METHOD2  Roll the dough with a rolling pin and dusting it with flour. Make a small circle and place the stuffing inside it and seal it. Again roll it into a thin circle and fry it on a tava with ghee. Serve hot with ghee or milk.

 TIPS 

• Make the puranpoli as soon as the stuffing is made otherwise the stuffing can become watery.
• If you feel that the stuffing is watery and cannot be made into balls place it in a pan and heat it. Stir continuously till the mixture starts bubbling and then slowly becoming hard. Take this onto a plate, cool it and once it hardens use as the stuffing.
• The above method can also be used if you want to have much sweeter puran poli.( Add more jaggery to increase sweet)
• Be liberal in adding ghee/oil in making dough to get softer puranpoli.