Why this recipe works
What makes puran poli interesting is the puran, its filling. Unlike most Indian sweets built on milk or sugar alone, this one is chana dal cooked and mashed with jaggery, so it carries genuine protein and fibre. Wrapped in a whole-wheat dough and scented with cardamom and nutmeg, it is a sweet with more substance than most.
Ingredients
Method
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1
Cook the chana dal soft, drain well, and mash with the jaggery.
Why drain well: excess water makes a loose puran that will not hold, so the dal is drained thoroughly before mashing with jaggery.
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2
Cook the dal-jaggery mixture down until it is a thick, dry filling (puran).
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3
Stuff the puran into a whole-wheat dough ball and roll out gently.
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4
Griddle on a tawa with a little ghee until golden on both sides.
An honest word
Puran poli is a festival treat, and it is still a sweet: jaggery is sugar, and it is cooked and served with ghee. What sets it apart is the chana dal filling, which brings real protein and fibre, and the whole-wheat cover, making it more wholesome than a syrup-soaked sweet. Enjoy it for the festivals it belongs to, in a sensible portion, rather than every day.