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In Maharashtra, poli-bhaji is a staple diet; warm rotis are served every day with all kinds of vegetables tossed in goda masala, chillies, and turmeric and garnished with coconut and coriander. There is also a long-standing tradition of eating sweet rotis, like the famous puran poli, with savoury vegetables and dals. In fact, in a puran poli lunch, the chapati is dispensed with to be replaced by the stuffed, circular flatbread enjoyed with katachi amti and potato subzi. Naps are highly recommended after this sumptuous meal!
Sweet polis in Maharashtra each have a different recipe and are made during different festivals and seasons to mark specific occasions. While the puran poli is made on Holi, the gul poli is usually made during the cooler harvest season because jaggery induces heat in the body. These sweet rotis can be added to a meal or enjoyed as an afternoon snack with a raw mango pickle. The sweetness of the poli mixed with the tang of the pickle is a lip-smacking combination. Read on below to learn about some of the sweet rotis made frequently in Maharashtrian households:
Gul Poli
Gur, or jaggery poli, is basically made using jaggery, flour, and sesame, which keep the body warm in cool climes. Generally made to celebrate Makar Sankranti or the harvest festival of Maharashtra, the gul poli can be had during lunch or as dessert because it can be a bit too crunchy for enjoying with subzi. Aromas of cardamom and poppy seeds add a distinct flavour to the poli, which is best had with ghee, which will cool down the effect of jaggery and sesame in case they cause excess heat.
Sheera Poli/Sanjyachi Poli
This is a rather delightful and soft type of poli made from a stuffing of sheera or sanja. The sheera, or sweet suji halwa, is made using rawa, or semolina, with generous amounts of sugar, milk, ghee, and cardamom. This sheera is cooked to a slightly thick consistency to roll into balls for the stuffing. The sweet halwa is then stuffed into a wheat flour dough and rolled into small round chapatis, which are lightly toasted on the tawa.
Puran Poli
Knowing how to make a good puran poli is a hard-acquired skill that requires much practice and patience. There are pressure points in every step, from making the puran out of gram flour to kneading the dough, rolling out the poli, and then toasting it on the tawa. A puran poli meal is an event in itself; indeed, it is reserved for festivals or special occasions!
Ukdichi Poli Or Gavsali
This is an especially popular recipe along the Konkan belt in Maharashtra and is particularly enjoyed during the summers. Ukdichi poli and aamras are meals that are most looked forward to in families preserving the Konkani heritage. While this is traditionally not a sweet poli, the rice flour, or ukad, stuffed into the wheat dough makes it soft and slightly sweeter than a regular chapati. The salt in the ukad brings out the flavour of the poli, which nicely complements the aamras made from the Payari mango variety.
Satori/Khawa Poli
Satori is an indulgently sweet poli made from poppy seeds and khoya, along with lots of ghee and milk. The poli seasoned with cardamom can be made all year, and when served hot, it literally melts in the mouth. Using white flour, or maida, in the dough really brings out the flavour of the khoya, making this sweet treat a clear favourite among kids.
