CHANNA DHAL POLIS / PURAN POLIS /PARUPPU POLIS

Happy Tamil New Year to you all!!! இனிய புத்தாண்டு வாழ்த்துக்கள்!!!
Sri Durmukhi year is born, and may this  year bring all good luck, prosperity, health, lot of energy to prepare new dishes.......... to all !!
Because it has the name "Durmukhi", don't worry, whether it denotes anything inauspicious, since "Dur" means bad things. "Durmukha" means horse. And, this whole year is going to be ruled by the planets Budha (Mercury) and Sukra (Venus)  bhagawans, who will bring all good things to us. Lord Hayagriva is the God of  Budha bhagawan, and he is known for his knowledge, education, buddhi, memory, good morals and justice.
So, this whole year, he is going to rule us, and just imagine...under such a benevolent Ruler, how blessed we are  all going to be???

Partuppu poli/ dhal poli / puran poli is a real delicacy. Microwaved or heated on a tawa, a drop of ghee smeared over it...hm..hm..tastes really yum!
There are a couple of ways of making this poli. and this method seems to be fool proof..
While in South India, this is called Polis/ Obbattu, in Maharashtra it is called Puran polis.

                                                                        Ingredients

                                                           For the poornam / stuffing:
                                     Channa dhal - 1/3 cup, soaked in hot water for 2 hours, then                                                                                     pressure cooked for 7-8 whistles
                                                           Jaggery - 1/2 cup (1 1/2 times  the measurement of channa dhal)
                                                  Coconut gratings - 2 tbsps
                                                 Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
                                                            Ghee - 2 tsps

                                                                   For the dough
                                                        Whole wheat flour - 1/3 cup, slightly heaped
                                                  Maida / all purpose flour - 1/3 cup,slightly  heaped
                                                                     Salt- a pinch
                                                            Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
                                                                Gingely oil - 2 tbsps
                                      Ghee as required to make polis (altogether, probably 2-3 tsps)
                              Dough to be kneaded and allowed to rest for 5-6 hours (A v.v.imp.step)

                   Recipe Cuisine: South /North Indian; Category: Indian sweets; festival delicacy
                                              Prep time: 30mts; Cooking time: 15 mts
       
                                                                 Yields 7 Polis


                             Channa dhal soaked in hot water for 2 hours and  pressure cooked

Both flours measured, a pinch of salt, turmeric powder and gingely oil added and kneaded into a soft, pliable dough, and set aside for minimum 5 hours. This is very very essential for the soft texture of the polis

Cooked channa dhal drained completely, and cooled

loaded into a blender jar with grated coconut  and pulsed to a coarse mixture

Jaggery syrup checked for impurities, and the pulsed channa dhal + coconut mixture added, along with cardamom powder

Stirred well, soon it will become like a ball, then 2 teaspoons of ghee added. Kept aside and allowed to cool completely. This ghee is to make the stuffing moist.

Both the dough and the filling, pinched into round balls

A ball of the dough is shaped like a cup (kozhukkattai choppu), then a ball of the filling kept in between

All the edges brought together, and the ball closed

Then flattened slightly, dusted with flour, patted with love and devotion

Rolled into polis, gently 

Tava heated with 1/2 tsp ghee, and a poli put on that

 When this side turns golden, it is flipped, then 1/2 tsp ghee added. Always flames on the lowest

When both sides cooked well, polis kept one by one on a plate

Serve the polis warm, sprinkle some ghee on it...it is heavenly!!!

This post first appeared in www.malpatskitchen.com

Notes

* In the earlier  days,  the dough used to be made just with maida. Since it isn't so very healthy, I have added half whole wheat flour

*Also, it used to look like a pond...lot of oil used to be poured on the dough, and allowed to soak. (Now also, many continue to do this)

*Some people, pulse the dhal and coconut with jaggery also along, and use them. I prefer this making syrup, and stirring method.

*Also, I prefer this rolling method. By patting the polis, they don't come out very  thin, I feel. 

*They used to pat the polis on banana leaves, and there will be lot of oil around. Feel, this is a healthier method.

*One very important thing here is, the time allowed for the dough to rest. This only yields soft polis. Otherwise, they turn to be hard.

*If you add too little jaggery, since there is a flour covering over it, it might taste bland. So, definitely this amount of jaggery is required.

*Has a shelf life of 2 days in room temperature, but, considering the heat in India now, it is better to refrigerate, reheat them whenever we want to , with a small sprinkle of ghee, is advisable

Please leave your comments if this recipe impresses you.

                 
                                                         

Categories: Festival Delicacies, Healthy Cooking, Indian sweets, Janmashtami neivedhyams, Navarathri Neivedhyams