Puran Poli is a sweet, flat Indian bread loved by all in Maharashtra and Gujarat; it is specially prepared during festivals and special days. The sweet, spiced chana dal and jaggery filling are called "Puran," while the soft wheat dough constitutes the "poli." Softly rolled and cooked on a tawa with ghee, it obtains a golden, crispy exterior while remaining smooth and flavoured. Traditionally, it is enjoyed with extra ghee or milk. Puran Poli is a type of flatbread traditionally made in Indian cuisine; it usually includes festivals or special occasions. It is famous in Maharashtra and throughout South India for festivals such as Ganesh Chaturthi and Holi. Filled with sweet bread, the richness in flavour and appealing texture have made this a comfort food loved by all. The base material of Puran Poli is a filling of chana dal or split Bengal gram, mixed with jaggery or unrefined cane sugar and aromatic spices. It is boiled until soft, then mashed to a fine paste with jaggery, cardamom, and nutmeg added occasionally. The sweet, earthy flavour with a slight hint of spice should merge into a delicious contrast with lightly spiced dough; the latter constitutes "Puran." The dough constituent for Puran Poli is merely whole wheat flour with a pinch of turmeric and a bit of ghee; it needs to be softly kneaded and made pliable. Divide the dough into small balls. Each of them is rolled out into a thin circle. To do that, some puran filling is placed at the centre of each circle, folded over and sealed to form a stuffed parcel. This is then gently rolled out again to enclose the filling. Now, these flatbreads are cooked on a hot grill or tawa with a small amount of ghee brushed on each side. This results in perfectly golden-brown bread, with a slight crispiness at its exterior and sweet, succulent fillings within. Puran Poli tastes best when warm and is relished mostly with ghee dollops or a yoghurt side dish to enhance the taste. It is a sweet treat in itself on special occasions and celebrations. Let's try out the Puran poli recipe.

• 200 gms chana dal
• 200 gms jaggery
• 1 tsp cardamom powder
• 2 cups wheat flour
• 1 pinch salt
• Ghee

• Wash 200 gms of chana dal under a stream of cold water. The excess dust and other impurities will be washed away. Take the washed dal, immersed in enough fresh water in a bowl, covering it. Soak the dal in water for about 3-4 hours.
• Discard the water after soaking. Now, in the pressure cooker, take the dal and add 2 cups of water to it.
• Close the lid of the cooker, and on high heat, cook the dal. After the first whistle, reduce the heat to medium and continue for 4-5 whistles to cook the dal properly until soft. When cooked, let it release its steam slowly, then open the lid.
• Once the dal is cooked, drain out the excess water.
• Transfer the cooked dal to a bowl and mash the dal finely using a potato masher or the back of a spoon till it attains a smooth texture with no lumps.
• Add the mashed dal, 200 gms of jaggery, and one tsp of cardamom powder to a separate pan. Put this pan on low flame. Let the mixture thicken, stirring until it acquires the state of dough. This mixture is your puran. Cook this well, yet still soft and supple.
• Allow the pan to cool down, and prepare the dough for the police. In a mixing bowl, take the wheat flour and add a pinch of salt to it. Add water in small quantities to form a very pliable soft dough. The dough should be smooth and elastic. Let the dough be kept under a wet cloth for half an hour for rest. This would help in the easy rolling out of the dough.
• Let the dough rest. Divide the dough into equal portions. Divide the puran similarly into portions, with sizes approximately equal to those of dough portions.
• Take one portion of the dough and roll it into a small circle on a lightly floured surface. Place one portion of puran in the centre of the rolled-out dough. Fold the edges of the dough over the puran and close it tightly. Gently roll out the stuffed dough into a flatbread, ensuring the filling remains intact inside.
• Place a tawa or griddle over medium heat. Heat the rolled-out puran poli on the tawa when hot. Roast until you see golden brown spots starting to appear on one side. Flip the poli over and similarly cook the other side. Use a little bit of ghee while roasting on both sides. Ghee gives flavour, too, and helps to get a crunchy texture.
• Continue the same process with the remaining portions of dough and puran. Hot puran poli with a dollop of ghee works really well with a dash of yoghurt or a plain curry, though complete in itself due to its sweet enriching taste.