Puran Poli Recipe (Bobbatlu)
Updated: September 16, 2023, By Swasthi
Puran Poli Recipe for beginners with detailed tips & tricks to make the best. Puran Poli is a popular Maharashtrian sweet flatbread made with flour, lentils, jaggery and cardamoms. Sometimes nutmeg & dried ginger is also added for a punch of flavors. It is a festive delicacy and is made during most festivals like Diwali, Ganesh Chaturthi and Holi. Puran poli is also known as Vedmi, Bobbatlu, obbattu, holige or poli & is also popular in all South Indian states, Maharashtra and Gujarat.
In all these regions they are made the same way but the ingredients used vary slightly. So the texture of this sweet stuffed flatbread is different.
About Puran Poli
The Marathi word “Puran” refers to “Sweet stuffing” and “Poli” to “Flatbreads”. Puran Poli are traditional flatbreads from Maharashtra Cuisine, that are stuffed with sweetened lentils.
The outer covering is made with wheat flour or all-purpose flour or sometimes with both. The stuffing is made with cooked chana dal (bengal gram) which is sweetened with jaggery and flavored with cardamom and nutmeg powder.
Puran Poli are cooked in pure ghee which enhances their aroma. Traditionally they are eaten with katachi amti which is made by tempering the strained lentil stock. Puran Poli can also be served with melted warm ghee or milk.
This post will help you to make perfectly thin and soft Puran Poli with a melt-in-the-mouth texture.
The first step in the preparation starts by cooking chana dal until soft and then the lentils are mashed or ground to a smooth consistency. It is later cooked with jaggery until thick consistency is achieved. The puran is flavoured with ground spices.
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 we can also do the same with a strainer or a grinder.
The prepared puran is stuffed inside rolled discs of dough & sealed carefully. Then the stuffed dics are rolled and later cooked with ghee.
Puran Poli vs Bobbatlu vs Obbattu
Andhra style bobbatlu are made without turmeric. The covering is mostly made with whole wheat flour but it also depends on the region. Some people also make them only with all-purpose flour and is similar to the Karnataka style holige.
Karnataka obbattu are mostly made with only all-purpose flour & lots of oil to make the dough. Also known as holige, these are hand stretched and not rolled. These are made paper thin with different kinds of stuffings.
Again these are only my findings and vary a lot from one household to the other.
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Photo Guide
How to Make Puran Poli (Stepwise Photos)
Preparation
1.Add 1 cup chana dal to a cooker and rinse well. Pour 2 ½ cups water and add half teaspoon ghee. Pressure cook until soft for 5 to 6 whistles. If cooking in Instant pot, press pressure cook button (high) and set the timer to 10 mins.
2. While the dal cooks, make the dough for covering. Add 2½ cups flour. Here I have used 2 cups wheat flour & ½ cup all-purpose flour. If you do not want to use all-purpose flour, use 2½ cups wheat flour. (More details in the tips below)
3. Add a pinch of salt and ¼ teaspoon turmeric (optional). Begin to make a soft dough by adding warm water as needed. I used ¾ cups plus 3 tbsps. You will need more if using only whole wheat flour.
4. Pour 3 tablespoons oil and knead well until the dough absorbs all of the oil & becomes soft, pliable. If you press down with your finger, it should dent easily.
5. Cover and rest aside until the puran/ filling is ready. It needs a minimum of 1 hour resting time. The longer it rests the results are better especially since we are using wheat flour. You can also make it the previous night and refrigerate it for upto 2 days.
Make Stuffing – Puran
6. When the pressure releases naturally, open the lid. Check if the dal is soft cooked by mashing it in between your thumb and forefinger. It should be well-cooked & get mashed easily. You will be left with very little water in the pot.
7. Transfer this to a strainer, cool and add the dal to a blender jar. Make a smooth paste. You will be able to blend all of the dal in one batch. Alternately you may pass it through a strainer like I did. To do that rub the dal against the strainer with a sturdy spoon or steel cup. Collect the smooth dal at the bottom. Note that this is a bit of arm work so you may prefer blending.
8. Next put back the dal to the same pot. I was left with very little dal water/stock which I just let it stay in the same pan.
9. Add 1 cup grated or powdered jaggery (150 grams) to the pan. Stir and cook on a medium flame to avoid splatters. Jaggery will melt and the entire mixture turns gooey.
10. Just cook until the mixture turns slightly thick. Add 1 tablespoon ghee towards the sides and cook until the entire mixture begins to leave the pan.
11. Add ½ teaspoon cardamom powder. You can also add ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon nutmeg powder (optional). Mix well and turn off the stove when the consistency is thick as seen in the picture below. As it cools it will thicken. You should have a smooth puran at this stage. Cool this completely.
Roll Puran Poli
12. Divide the dough to 12 equal parts and the puran/ stuffing to 12 equal parts.
13. Take a dough ball and slightly flatten it. Dip it in flour & dust off the excess. I prefer to use all-purpose flour here as wheat flour makes them tough/ hard.
14. With the help of your thumb and fingers on both your hands, begin to shape it like a cup or a puri. I made mine around 3 ½ to 4 inches.
15. Then place a ball of puran in the center and push it to the deep center.
16. Bring the sides of the cup higher by simply tapping the whole thing on the hand and stretching the dough on the sides.
17. Keep pushing the puran in and stretch the dough on the sides until you are able to bring all the edges on top.
18. Bring the edges together, join and seal them. I do not remove any excess dough, instead pat it back. Do check the video to make it right.
19. Flatten this gently in between your palms or with your fingers to make a small puri.
20. Dust some flour on the rolling board and place it. Also sprinkle some flour on top.
21. Gently roll it to as big as you can taking care not to tear the covering. I roll mine to 8 to 9 inches. While rolling take care you do it evenly so all of the puran and the covering is well distributed including to the sides. If you see the poli becoming too thin and about to tear, sprinkle some flour and gently pat it.
Fry/Toast
22. Heat a griddle on a medium high flame. I make 3 to 4 poli at one time and then begin to cook them. When the pan is hot enough, dust off the excess flour from the puran poli and transfer it to the hot griddle.
23. Soon you will see bubbles on the puran poli. Flip it gently to the other side, pressing down with a spatula so it puffs fully. Drizzle as much ghee as you like and cook until it is evenly done including on the edges. I use about a tablespoon for each.
24. Flip to the other side and spread more ghee as desired. Remove to a serving plate. Spread enough ghee over the puran poli and then stack them.
Serve with ghee, milk or katachi amti / holige saaru. We personally love these dipped in this kesar badam milk.
Pro Tips
Dal: If you plan to make katachi amti or holige saaru then use 4 cups water to boil the dal and strain it. Use the collected dal stock to make the amti or saaru.
If you want to use toor dal, use only 2 cups water to pressure cook & reduce the cook time.
Jaggery: Dark color jaggery and powdered jaggery will make dark or brown color puran. This makes the whole poli look darker in color so you may choose lighter color jaggery.
Tips to Make the Covering:
I often make different kinds of wheat flour poli for my kids’ school box. So sharing my findings on the covering.
Choosing flour: Using only wheat flour makes nutty and denser covering if not prepared well. So I use 1¼ tablespoon oil for every cup of atta. Rest the dough overnight in the fridge. Bring it to room temperature before rolling it. You can do the same if you want to use only wheat flour here.
If making for a special occasion I use 2 cups atta and ½ cup all-purpose flour. This gives better results than using only whole wheat flour.
For health reasons, use organic or at least unbleached all-purpose flour and avoid regular maida as it is bleached.
I have also made these a lot of times with whole wheat pastry flour or white wheat flour. This gives very close results of using 1:1 atta:maida. For more thinner puran poli you may use that.
Oil: Using a good amount of oil to make the dough helps you to make thin poli as it stretches well. Do not reduce it.
Turmeric does not add any flavor to the puran poli but it imparts a nice bright color. It is a tradition for many people and some use it since they like the color. You may skip it if you don’t like.
I personally like it because sometimes darker jaggery makes brown poli which don’t look appealing.
Tips to Use Ghee
It is believed that ghee helps in digesting lentils. So traditionally a generous amount of ghee is used while cooking the puran poli. I usually do not measure when I cook them. Please use more or less to suit your taste and diet.
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Recipe Card
Puran Poli Recipe (Bobbatlu)
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )
For Puran (filling)
- 1 cup chana dal (200 grams bengal gram) (refer notes)
- 2½ cups water (more if needed)
- 1 cup jaggery (150 grams powdered or grated)
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
- ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon nutmeg powder (optional)
For Covering
- 2½ cups flour (2 cups wheat flour & ½ cup all-purpose flour) (refer notes)
- 1 pinch salt
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric (optional)
- 3 tablespoons oil
Other Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour for dusting
- 3 to 4 tablespoons ghee (for frying/toasting, use as needed)
Instructions
Preparation
- Rinse and pressure cook chana dal until soft. If cooking in traditional cooker, cook for 5 to 6 whistles. If cooking in instant pot, pressure cook for 10 mins.
- While the dal cooks, make the dough by mixing together flour, salt, turmeric and ¾ cup water. Make a soft dough adding more water as needed. Then drizzle oil and knead until all of the oil is absorbed. Cover and rest until the puran/ filling is ready.
- When the pressure in the cooker drops, open the lid and strain the dal. Cool slightly and blend the dal to a fine powder or paste.
- Add the smooth dal back to the same cooker pot along with grated/powdered jaggery. Begin to cook on a medium heat. Jaggery melts and the entire mixture becomes gooey. If using instant pot, cook on saute mode.
- Keep stirring and cook until the puran turns thicker & much of the moisture evaporates.
- Then add ghee. Saute until it leaves the pan and becomes thicker. Check step-by-step photos for the consistency. Add cardamom powder and nutmeg powder (optional). Cool this completely.
How to Make Puran Poli
- Divide the dough to 12 equal portions and the puran as well to 12 equal portions. Keep the dough covered.
- Take a dough ball and dip it in all-purpose flour. Dust off the excess. Press down in the center spread the dough to a 4 inch cup or disc. You can roll it with a rolling pin or do it with your fingers.
- Place the puran in the center and press it down inside. Gently bring the sides over the stuffing by tapping the cup on your other hand & pushing the puran in with your finger.
- Bring the edges together and seal them carefully. Flatten the ball and dip it in flour. Dust off the excess. Sprinkle some flour on the rolling area and place the ball. Begin to roll evenly all over without putting pressure.
- Roll to a 8 to 9 inch puran poli. Take care not to tear off the covering. If you see the poli becoming too thin in certain places, sprinkle some flour and gently apply it. You can make about 3 to 4 polis before you begin to cook them.
Frying/ Toasting
- Heat a pan on a medium high flame. When it is hot enough, dust off the excess flour from the puran poli and gently transfer it to the hot pan.
- Soon you will begin to see bubbles. Flip it to the other side and cook gently pressing down with a spatula.
- Puran poli will puff soon, then drizzle a generous amount of ghee about 1 tsp. Flip it to the other side as well and drizzle more ghee.
- Press down with a spatula as needed and cook well until you see golden to light brown spots on it. The edges also should get cooked well.
- Transfer to a serving plate and serve with melted ghee or milk. Ensure you smear enough ghee before you stack them.
- Serve puran poli with ghee, katachi amti, milk or this badam milk.
Notes
- Dal: Chana dal can be replaced with toor dal or moong dal. If using toor dal, use only 2 cups water.
- Flour: I have used 2 cups wheat flour (240 grams) and ½ cup (70 grams) all-purpose flour. You may use only 2½ cups wheat flour. But they will be slightly thicker. For more thinner and softer poli than you see in my pictures, you can also use 1½ cups wheat flour and 1 cup all-purpose flour.
Video
Watch Puran Poli Recipe
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes
Puran Poli Recipe first published in Oct 2015. Updated & Republished in December 2022.
About Swasthi
I’m Swasthi Shreekanth, the recipe developer, food photographer & food writer behind Swasthi’s Recipes. My aim is to help you cook great Indian food with my time-tested recipes. After 2 decades of experience in practical Indian cooking I started this blog to help people cook better & more often at home. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook I am sure Swasthi’s Recipes will assist you to enhance your cooking skills. More about me
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Comments
Love this recipe. I love Puran Poli and usually buy the frozen ones from the shops. This recipe is amazing, my puran poli turned out so delicious and soft and not over sweet. Only mistake I made was not to grate the jaggery before adding to the daal which resulted in some small jaggery lumps, I will grate it next time.
Your recipes are amazing, and very easy to follow.
That’s nice to know Fozia! Thank you so much for sharing back. I have edited the stepwise photo instruction to include powdered/grated.
Swathi, I have never gotten a successful outcome till now due to the complications while making vobattu. I had almost given up. This recipe of yours came out so well that I could not believe it. hahahahhahaa. Thank you so much for your time in making this blog and sharing this precise way of making cuisines.
Hi Swasthi, all your recipes are awesome! Everything that I have tried from your collection of recipes turned out excellent. I like your detailed explanations and notes. Thank you!
Hi Katyayani,
Thank you so much! So happy to know!
Hi Swasthi, all your recipes are awesome and they never fail! Thank you. I like your detailed explanation and notes.
Hii,
Thanks for the recipe. Turned out very tasty and were finished in no time
Only issue I had was that the ones I have eaten are always very soft but mine were a bit hard. Any suggestions on where I could have made an error or can improve on the next time I make them (definitely making them again ).
Thankyouu
Hi Hafsa,
So glad to know! The only way to make them softer is to use more all-purpose flour & oil while kneading. My Mom would make soft paper thin poli using only purpose flour and more oil. If you don’t mind using refined flour try with that or use 50/50. Knead a little longer until the dough is like elastic. Also avoid stacking the puran poli when they are still hot. This makes the top and the bottom layers stick to the hot jaggery inside and become hard upon cooling. Hope this helps.
Hi Swathi can we freeze the puran poli’s once cooked? Thank you!!
Hi Divya,
Yes you can freeze them. Cool completely and place a parchment paper in between.
Can we freeze the puran polis after they are completely made? I love your recipes. They are the best homemade food I could make!
Thank you so much Diva
Hi ..I have tried puran poli the result was awesome but I have some left over maida dough.. what can I make with that
Hi,
If you have used the same proportion of oil & flour as mentioned in the recipe, you can make spicy diamond cuts. I have the recipe here – namak para
Hi…. instead of this can I make parota with left over dough because we don’t prefer fried items
Yes you can make parotta or even plain paratha
Thank you very much
I have tried puran poli.. the result was awesome….but I have some left over maida…. what can I make with that
Hey, can I use sprouted millet flour instead of wheat? And replace to date sugar? Thank you!
Hi,
I haven’t tried with millet flour. Not sure if it works. Yes you can use date sugar.
Thank you for the beautiful recipe. First time my puran poli came out good. The stuffing is so well packed and evenly spread inside the poli. I am in love with your recipes. Happy Ganesh chaturthi to you and your family.
Happy Ganesh Chaturthi Bhavana. So glad to know! Thank you
Yesterday was my in-laws wedding anniversary. I made puran poli. Thank you they came out very nice
Glad to know Sunitha
thank you
I follow your recipes for the exploring new dishes and your recipe card so we’ll return it comes of perfect. Most of the times my puran gets soggy but this time it was just right. Thank you, keep sharing
Glad to know Vijaya
Thanks for leaving a comment
Swasthi you are my guardian angel with regard to food. You make the toughest of food so easy to make. And every dish turns just perfect
Hello Tulsi
Thank you so much! That means a lot to me!
🙂
My first attempt to make puran poli is a success. They turned out beautifully though not as good in shape. Surprised my husband today. ? Happy Holi
Hello Rekha,
Glad to know! Happy holi
Thank you
Hi Swasthi,
I want to make the stuffing 3 days ahead. Do you think it’s fine?
Can I use it chilled to roll?
Hi Sujatha
Yes you can keep it for 2 to 3 days.
Use it chilled no problem but fry them immediately.
Hey Swasthi
Can I refrigerate the filling for a few hours? How to use it later? heat up or use the cold one as in for rolling. Please advice. I have tried many recipes from your blog and all of them came out very good. Thank you
Hello Neelima
Yes you can refrigerate and use it straight away. Don’t need to heat up. Glad to know the recipes worked well for you. Thank you
I have not tried poli before and this was my first time tasting and trying to make it. They came out perfectly good. I used einkorn wheat and absolutely love it. Thank you for giving a fool proof recipe. Also, this is my go to site whenever I’m browsing for some Indian recipes.
Hi Darshini
Glad to know they turned out good. Thank you so much for leaving a comment.
🙂
Swasthi, can I use chiroti rava in this? Have you tried using and will they come good. Suggest me.
Hi Poornima,
I haven’t tried this with chiroti rava. This recipe has more wheat flour so I haven’t used. But my mom uses 1:1:1 wheat flour:maida:chiroti rava. You may try that. Hope this helps
Thanks for the recipe. I made a small test batch. They tasted delicious. Will be making them again this week.
Welcome Neeta
Glad to know! Thanks for leaving a comment
Hi myself Murtaza from TASONS Engineering co Visakhapatnam andhra pradesh I just came across your recipe which is really great in this regard i just wanted to inform you that we have manufactured a bobbatlu heating machine Wherein 2 rotating tawas with gas burners are given with uniform speed in order to heat bobbatlu both sides if anyone interested do contact us