From medieval texts to festive plates, tracing the story of puran poli
'Puran Poli is a traditional Indian sweet flatbread made by stuffing a spiced lentil and jaggery filling (called puran) into a soft wheat flour dough (poli) and cooking it on a griddle. It is especially popular in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu, with regional variations in preparation, name, and flavour,' said Banerjee.
According to her, puran poli has been around for several centuries, with mentions in medieval Marathi texts like the Maharashtrian manuscript of Chakradatta (11th century), which references puranpaka, a sweet made of jaggery and lentils.
Called puran poli in Maharashtra, it is also known as bedmi in Gujarat, bobbatlu in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana regions, obbattu or holige in Karnataka, and poli in and around Tamil Nadu.
A festival favourite, in Maharashtra, it is a must-have during Holi, Gudi Padwa and Ganesh Chaturthi. South India makes obbattu primarily during Ugadi (New Year) and other major festivals. Considered satvik (pure), it is also offered as naivedya to deities. In traditional households, making puran poli is part of festive ritual prep.
Puran poli is made between spring and summer since jaggery and chana dal are considered to be cooling and nourishing.
The outer cover is made of flour or maida, while the stuffing includes cooked chana dal (Bengal gram), which is sweetened with jaggery and flavoured with cardamom and nutmeg powder.
Start by cooking the chana daal until it turns soft, and then mash or grind the lentils until smooth. Puran yantra, a traditional manual food mill, is used to mash the lentils to a super smooth texture, which is essential in this recipe. But you can also do the same with a strainer or a grinder. Next, add jaggery to the mashed lentils and mix well until the consistency turns thick—season with spices like cardamom and nutmeg.
Take flour, add water, a couple of spoons of oil, and a pinch of turmeric, and knead into a soft, pliant dough. Take small batches of the dough and flatten them into round discs.
Now, take a small portion of the puran and stuff it inside the poli in a way the exterior covering completely covers it. Just like you make puri, flatten it on a rolling pin and make a thin circle out of it. Transfer it to a tawa and cook it until the surface bubbles. Once done, smear a dollop of ghee and serve hot.
Cooked in ghee, it is traditionally eaten with katachi amti—a tempering made by strained lentil stock—and usually served with warmed milk or ghee.After a hearty afternoon meal, a warm stack of puran poli, served with kesar-badam milk, can lull you into sleep. A festival favourite, puran poli is one of India's ancient desserts from the western coast. In this installment of Bites of History, celebrity chef Ananya Banerjee tells us all about this stuffed sweet delicacy.
'Puran Poli is a traditional Indian sweet flatbread made by stuffing a spiced lentil and jaggery filling (called puran) into a soft wheat flour dough (poli) and cooking it on a griddle. It is especially popular in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu, with regional variations in preparation, name, and flavour,' said Banerjee.
According to her, puran poli has been around for several centuries, with mentions in medieval Marathi texts like the Maharashtrian manuscript of Chakradatta (11th century), which references puranpaka, a sweet made of jaggery and lentils.
Called puran poli in Maharashtra, it is also known as bedmi in Gujarat, bobbatlu in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana regions, obbattu or holige in Karnataka, and poli in and around Tamil Nadu.
A festival favourite, in Maharashtra, it is a must-have during Holi, Gudi Padwa and Ganesh Chaturthi. South India makes obbattu primarily during Ugadi (New Year) and other major festivals. Considered satvik (pure), it is also offered as naivedya to deities. In traditional households, making puran poli is part of festive ritual prep.
Puran poli is made between spring and summer since jaggery and chana dal are considered to be cooling and nourishing.
The outer cover is made of flour or maida, while the stuffing includes cooked chana dal (Bengal gram), which is sweetened with jaggery and flavoured with cardamom and nutmeg powder.
Start by cooking the chana daal until it turns soft, and then mash or grind the lentils until smooth. Puran yantra, a traditional manual food mill, is used to mash the lentils to a super smooth texture, which is essential in this recipe. But you can also do the same with a strainer or a grinder. Next, add jaggery to the mashed lentils and mix well until the consistency turns thick—season with spices like cardamom and nutmeg.
Take flour, add water, a couple of spoons of oil, and a pinch of turmeric, and knead into a soft, pliant dough. Take small batches of the dough and flatten them into round discs.
Now, take a small portion of the puran and stuff it inside the poli in a way the exterior covering completely covers it. Just like you make puri, flatten it on a rolling pin and make a thin circle out of it. Transfer it to a tawa and cook it until the surface bubbles. Once done, smear a dollop of ghee and serve hot.
Cooked in ghee, it is traditionally eaten with katachi amti—a tempering made by strained lentil stock—and usually served with warmed milk or ghee.After a hearty afternoon meal, a warm stack of puran poli, served with kesar-badam milk, can lull you into sleep. A festival favourite, puran poli is one of India's ancient desserts from the western coast. In this installment of Bites of History, celebrity chef Ananya Banerjee tells us all about this stuffed sweet delicacy.
'Puran Poli is a traditional Indian sweet flatbread made by stuffing a spiced lentil and jaggery filling (called puran) into a soft wheat flour dough (poli) and cooking it on a griddle. It is especially popular in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu, with regional variations in preparation, name, and flavour,' said Banerjee.
According to her, puran poli has been around for several centuries, with mentions in medieval Marathi texts like the Maharashtrian manuscript of Chakradatta (11th century), which references puranpaka, a sweet made of jaggery and lentils.
Called puran poli in Maharashtra, it is also known as bedmi in Gujarat, bobbatlu in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana regions, obbattu or holige in Karnataka, and poli in and around Tamil Nadu.
A festival favourite, in Maharashtra, it is a must-have during Holi, Gudi Padwa and Ganesh Chaturthi. South India makes obbattu primarily during Ugadi (New Year) and other major festivals. Considered satvik (pure), it is also offered as naivedya to deities. In traditional households, making puran poli is part of festive ritual prep.
Puran poli is made between spring and summer since jaggery and chana dal are considered to be cooling and nourishing.
The outer cover is made of flour or maida, while the stuffing includes cooked chana dal (Bengal gram), which is sweetened with jaggery and flavoured with cardamom and nutmeg powder.
Start by cooking the chana daal until it turns soft, and then mash or grind the lentils until smooth. Puran yantra, a traditional manual food mill, is used to mash the lentils to a super smooth texture, which is essential in this recipe. But you can also do the same with a strainer or a grinder. Next, add jaggery to the mashed lentils and mix well until the consistency turns thick—season with spices like cardamom and nutmeg.
Take flour, add water, a couple of spoons of oil, and a pinch of turmeric, and knead into a soft, pliant dough. Take small batches of the dough and flatten them into round discs.
Now, take a small portion of the puran and stuff it inside the poli in a way the exterior covering completely covers it. Just like you make puri, flatten it on a rolling pin and make a thin circle out of it. Transfer it to a tawa and cook it until the surface bubbles. Once done, smear a dollop of ghee and serve hot.
Cooked in ghee, it is traditionally eaten with katachi amti—a tempering made by strained lentil stock—and usually served with warmed milk or ghee.After a hearty afternoon meal, a warm stack of puran poli, served with kesar-badam milk, can lull you into sleep. A festival favourite, puran poli is one of India's ancient desserts from the western coast. In this installment of Bites of History, celebrity chef Ananya Banerjee tells us all about this stuffed sweet delicacy.
'Puran Poli is a traditional Indian sweet flatbread made by stuffing a spiced lentil and jaggery filling (called puran) into a soft wheat flour dough (poli) and cooking it on a griddle. It is especially popular in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu, with regional variations in preparation, name, and flavour,' said Banerjee.
According to her, puran poli has been around for several centuries, with mentions in medieval Marathi texts like the Maharashtrian manuscript of Chakradatta (11th century), which references puranpaka, a sweet made of jaggery and lentils.
Called puran poli in Maharashtra, it is also known as bedmi in Gujarat, bobbatlu in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana regions, obbattu or holige in Karnataka, and poli in and around Tamil Nadu.
A festival favourite, in Maharashtra, it is a must-have during Holi, Gudi Padwa and Ganesh Chaturthi. South India makes obbattu primarily during Ugadi (New Year) and other major festivals. Considered satvik (pure), it is also offered as naivedya to deities. In traditional households, making puran poli is part of festive ritual prep.
Puran poli is made between spring and summer since jaggery and chana dal are considered to be cooling and nourishing.
The outer cover is made of flour or maida, while the stuffing includes cooked chana dal (Bengal gram), which is sweetened with jaggery and flavoured with cardamom and nutmeg powder.
Start by cooking the chana daal until it turns soft, and then mash or grind the lentils until smooth. Puran yantra, a traditional manual food mill, is used to mash the lentils to a super smooth texture, which is essential in this recipe. But you can also do the same with a strainer or a grinder. Next, add jaggery to the mashed lentils and mix well until the consistency turns thick—season with spices like cardamom and nutmeg.
Take flour, add water, a couple of spoons of oil, and a pinch of turmeric, and knead into a soft, pliant dough. Take small batches of the dough and flatten them into round discs.
Now, take a small portion of the puran and stuff it inside the poli in a way the exterior covering completely covers it. Just like you make puri, flatten it on a rolling pin and make a thin circle out of it. Transfer it to a tawa and cook it until the surface bubbles. Once done, smear a dollop of ghee and serve hot.
Cooked in ghee, it is traditionally eaten with katachi amti—a tempering made by strained lentil stock—and usually served with warmed milk or ghee.'Puran Poli: Unraveling the Sweet History of India's Festival Favorite'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
2 hours ago
- Business Standard
Firefighters in Texas mistake Hindu havan for house fire, interrupt ritual
A viral video from Texas has ignited a social media storm after firefighters from the Bedford Fire Department were seen disrupting a traditional Hindu havan ceremony, mistaking the ritual fire and smoke for an emergency. The footage, widely circulated online, shows an Indian family mid-puja when fire personnel arrive and begin inspecting the smoke-filled garage where the sacred ritual was underway. A group of Indians were worshipping the Hindu fire god in Texas, and the neighbors call the fire fighters on them. — Papa Tiger (@BengaliFalcon71) August 4, 2025 US firefighters disrupt 'havan' at Indian family in Texas: Viral video Sharing the video, an X user, @BengaliFalcon71, wrote, 'A group of Indians were worshipping the Hindu fire god in Texas, and the neighbours called the fire fighters on them.' A number of officials can be seen discussing the problem with the family. The text on the video says, 'Cultural misunderstanding 101: Hindu puja (not) emergency. When you're having a Hindu housewarming puja and the fire department pulls up". When a fire truck arrives outside their house, a group of Indian people are shown doing a hawan in the opening scene of the video. After that, there are snippets of the ceremony and a little conversation between the family and firefighters. Since its online release, the video has spread across multiple platforms, drawing a wave of reactions. Social media users have flooded the comments sections with messages of both support and concern, sparking a debate. The viral clip succeeded in igniting discussions on cultural sensitivity and how traditional customs are seen globally, even if the matter was settled without getting out of hand. Netizens react to viral clip of US firefighters interrupting 'havan' at Indian home The video has sparked intense debate online, with social media users divided in their responses. While some expressed cultural sensitivity, others raised safety concerns. One user commented, "Worshipping the fire god isn't wrong. But not informing local authorities or taking safety precautions is irresponsible and shows disregard for the community." Another echoed the sentiment with a sharper tone: "Stop playing with fire. These houses are made of wood—use some common sense!" The incident triggered a broader cultural discussion. "Respect the country you live in. If you want to do these things, go to a place where it's normal," one user wrote. Another replied, "Doing puja is seen as disrespectful, but using fire for a barbecue isn't? That's the double standard." Despite the criticism, many users rallied in support of the family, calling for greater cultural understanding and respect for religious practices.
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
60 years on, 1965 war heroism lives on: Family gifts Capt C N Singh's Maha Vir Chakra to Garhwal Rifles
Chandigarh: A moment of immense honour unfolded in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, on Tuesday, when Sukhdev Singh — brother of the valiant late Capt Chander Narayan Singh — presented the Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) and other medals of his decorated war hero brother to the Garhwal Rifles regiment. Capt Chander Narayan Singh, popularly called Capt C N Singh, is remembered as one of Himachal Pradesh's 13 recipients of the Maha Vir Chakra—the nation's second-highest military gallantry award for bravery in the face of enemy. On behalf of the Garhwal Rifles, the MVC was received by Lt Gen D S Rana, colonel of the Garhwal Rifles and Garhwal Scouts and the commander-in-chief of the Andaman and Nicobar Command. The ceremony was also attended by Lt Gen Rajan Sharawat, GOC, 9 Corps; Brig Vinod Singh Negi, commandant, Garhwal Rifles Regimental Centre; Col Vishal Kumar Singh, commanding officer of 2 Garhwal Rifles, several veterans, and serving officers and troops of the Garhwal Rifles. In his address, Lt Gen Rana expressed gratitude to the family of Capt C N Singh for presenting the medals and alluded that the war hero was a true embodiment of courage, leadership, and bravery. "His legend will continue to inspire generations of Indian youth and future soldiers. The medals will be displayed at the Garhwal Rifles Regimental Centre Museum, Lansdowne, Uttarakhand. This will serve as a source of inspiration and will keep the legacy of Capt CN Singh alive in the heart of the Indian Army and the Nation for posterity," he added. On Aug 5, 1965, during the Indo-Pak war, Capt C N Singh, a young officer of 2 Garhwal Rifles, made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty while fighting Pakistani infiltrators. For his exceptional courage, bravery, and devotion to the nation, he was conferred with the Maha Vir Chakra. The handing over of the MVC by the family to the regiment was organised by the army on Tuesday to mark the 60th death anniversary of the gallant soldier.
Indian Express
5 hours ago
- Indian Express
US firefighters disrupt ‘havan' at Indian family's Texas home, viral video sparks debate: ‘Have some common sense'
A video showing firefighters from the Bedford Fire Department disrupting a havan, a Hindu ritual, performed at an Indian family's house in Texas, US, has triggered a debate on social media. It has been widely circulated across social media platforms. The viral clip shows the Indian family performing the puja ritual. As the frame shifts, firefighters can be seen investigating the smoke-filled garage. Several officials can be seen talking to the family to understand the situation. 'Cultural misunderstanding 101: Hindu puja (not) emergency. When you're having a Hindu housewarming puja and the fire department pulls up,' the text on the video read. Sharing the video, an X handle, @BengaliFalcon71, wrote, 'A group of Indians were worshipping the Hindu fire god in Texas, and the neighbors call the fire fighters on them.' Watch the video here: A group of Indians were worshipping the Hindu fire god in Texas, and the neighbors call the fire fighters on them. — Papa Tiger (@BengaliFalcon71) August 4, 2025 The video garnered a range of reactions, triggering a cultural debate. 'stop playing with fire. Those houses are built with wood. Have some common sense people,' a user wrote. 'they are part of the hindu community & of the local community. Doing the prayer to the fire god is not wrong. Not informing local authorities and not getting the approval and clearance with safety measures and other details is wrong and uncivic, disregard to the community,' another user commented. 'Respect country u live in in, if u want to do all these go to country where its normal,' a third user reacted. 'Doing puja is disrespect, using fire for making barbeque is not,' another user argued. Recently, a video of paan stains on the streets of Harrow in London sparked a debate on social media. The video showed several dustbins on the road covered with tobacco stains, reminding netizens of how public spaces in India are often splattered with such stains.
