Boli / Puran poli is typical Indian sweet made with channa dal and jaggery or sugar filling. It is made on festive occasions. In South Kerala boli is made for Hindu weddings and for maru veedu ( bride's family visiting the groom's home first time after the wedding).
Unlike most of the world here the dessert is served in between the meal for weddings. 4 payasams are served in the middle of the sadya(feast) and after which a small helping of rice with pulisherry /moru curry(yogurt curry) and sambharam(spiced buttermilk) is served.
Boli comes along with the third payasam. A boli is placed on the plantain leaf then a large ladle full of paal payasam or semiya payasam or paal ada pradhaman (milk based kheer)is served on top of it.The boli immediately absorbs all the sweet milk from the payasam and becomes soggy soft it is simply smushed into pieces with the right hand and dripping wet delicious milk soaked pieces are shoveled into the mouth :)) . One needs to finish eating this fast and clean up the area on the banana leaf because the next payasam will be served in the same exact spot of the leaf.
Ohfff!!! it is a delightful experience to have such unlimited meal and still not feel suffocated or choked because the the traditional feast is planned in such a way that you feel good not bloated in full stomach.
Boli and Mysore pak was my Grandma's favorite.Wish I knew to make bolis at home in those days I bet Grandma would have been super impressed with this kiddo thanks to all the cookery shows I did learn how to make Kerala boli. These days I find my daughter asking for it hmm.. genes I guess.. :))
Before u start I would like to say it is a little delicate work u need some patience to get it right.
Ingredients: (Yields around 15-18 bolis)
Filling:
Kadalaparippu / Channa dal - 1 cup
Sharkara /Jaggery - 1 cup (Break it into small pieces - I use a stone to hit:))
Chukku /Dry ginger- powdered- a pinch
Jeerakam / Cumin - dry roasted and powdered- a pinch
Elakka /Cardomom powdered - 2 pods
Outer covering:
Maida /All purpose flour - 1 cup
Manjal podi / Turmeric powder - 1/3 tsp
Salt - a small pinch
Nallaenna /Sesame oil -3- 4 tsp
For spreading:
Rice flour:1/2 or as required
Ghee as required
Method:
Cook the channa dal( in a pressure cooker) adding just enough water to cook until almost done. (Not mashed or paste). On touching the cooked dal/lentil/parippu it should break into grainy powder.
Drain off excess water if any and immediately add the jaggery to hot dal /parippu (do not put on heat) Simply mix well until cool.(the heat from the dal is enough to melt the jaggery)
Grind it in a mixee to fine smooth paste.
Take a heavy bottom pan and pour the mixture add the dry spices powdered earlier and heat until it thickens stirring constantly (this will take only a minute or two) to a thick dough consistency to shape into a ball.
When it cools divide the dough into equal portions and make ball out of it.
Meanwhile make the outer covering by mixing maida,turmeric powder and salt add water and make a smooth sticky dough add sesame oil on top and let it rest for say half an hour **while the filling is made.
Dip fingers in water take a small ball of the maida dough (just enough to cover the filling)spread the dough in the palm of ur hand keep the filling inside, cover the filling entirely with dough put it into the rice flour roll for dusting once then roll it into disc as thin as possible. Dip fingers in water only if the dough is too sticky.
Use rice flour to prevent the disc from sticking on to the surface.
Heat (medium to high) a tawa and cook boli one side when it puffs slightly turn cook for few seconds apply ghee on just this side and transfer onto a butter paper to cool with ghee side on top.
Store in a airtight container for two days in room temperature.
Or it can be stored up to a week in the fridge.
Kerala Boli can be served with plain milk, coconut milk or milk or vermicilli kheer/payasam, paal ada pradhaman.
Note :
- The maida dough coating should be as thin as possible.The consistency of dough is very important the softer and more pliable the dough the better.
- The channa dal should be ground fine and really smooth otherwise while spreading the the disc the filling will fall out.
- Do not keep flipping the boli more than once.That ensures each side gets only one cooking chance and keeps it soft.
- If the boli is cooked for too long on one side it will become hard as the jaggery is getting harder inside.
- Do not spread more than two discs at a time and try to cook them immediately. If too many discs are made at a time and cooked later they dry out and become hard and chewy.
- Instead of the palm of ur hand use an oiled aluminium foil to shape and cover the filling if u like.
NOTE**Boli is usually made with sugar but jaggery tastes even better. If u are making with sugar simply replace jaggery with sugar and thicken it after grinding on low flame until the consistency becomes thick and u can shape ball out of it thats all the rest is same.
Slight presence of white powdery coat of rice flour on cooked boli is absolutely fine. It prevents them from sticking to each other.
PS: Make perfect rounds as much as possible. I choose to go with a very wet consistency of maida which is tough to handle but the moisture content helps the boli to
stay softand breaks into pieces with just two fingers..
Use left over boli as a super breakfast by simply tearing a few into a bowl pour some milk microwave for a minute voila its better than cereal and tastes awesome.
Hope You like the bolis.
Meena
