Recipe: Pineapple Puran Poli

A fruity twist on the beloved Maharashtrian festive flatbread, this Pineapple Puran Poli combines the traditional chana dal and jaggery filling with juicy pineapple, cardamom and nutmeg. Soft, golden and gently sweet, it is delicious served warm with a drizzle of ghee.

Prep time: 30 mins | Cook time: 35 mins | Servings: 6

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 1½ cups whole wheat flour
• 2 tbsp oil
• ½ tsp salt
• Water, as required

For the filling:

• 1 cup chana dal
• 1 cup finely chopped pineapple
• ¾ cup grated jaggery
• ½ tsp cardamom powder
• ¼ tsp nutmeg powder
• 1 tbsp ghee

Get the ingredients here

Method

1. Mix wheat flour, salt and oil. Add water gradually and knead into a soft, pliable dough. Cover and rest for 20 minutes.
2. Rinse and pressure cook the chana dal with enough water until soft but not mushy. Drain thoroughly.
3. Heat a pan and cook the finely chopped pineapple over medium heat until its excess moisture evaporates and it becomes soft.
4. Add the cooked dal and jaggery to the pan. Cook over low heat, stirring regularly, until the jaggery melts and the mixture thickens.
5. Add cardamom, nutmeg and ghee. Continue cooking until the mixture becomes thick and leaves the sides of the pan.
6. Cool the filling completely, then grind it until smooth. Divide into equal portions.
7. Divide the dough into equal portions and flatten each one.
8. Place a portion of the pineapple-puran filling in the centre. Bring the edges together and seal.
9. Gently roll into a thin circle using a little flour if needed.
10. Cook on a hot tawa over medium heat until golden spots appear on both sides.
11. Brush with ghee and serve warm.

Tip: Cook the pineapple until its moisture has evaporated before adding it to the puran. Let the filling cool completely and thicken before stuffing, so the polis roll more easily without tearing.