puran poli

My delightful Puran Poli recipe with step-by-step photos will show you how to make the traditional Indian treat. This lentil stuffed sweet flatbread is a popular Maharashtrian recipe made during Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali, Holi or any other festive occasion. While it does take a bit of skill and patience to make, the results are well worth it! And as an added bonus, this sweet recipe also happens to be pretty darn nutritious, meaning you can even eat it for breakfast.

puran poli on a green plate.
About Puran Poli
Puran Poli is a flatbread stuffed with a sweet lentil stuffing. In Marathi language the sweet stuffing is known as Puran, and the flat bread is called Poli. While puran poli is considered a sweet, the ingredients make it quite healthy.

There are a few variations of this delish flatbread found in the Western and Southern parts and regions in India.

A similar variation in South India and from the Andhra and Karnataka cuisine is called Bobbatlu or Obbattu or Holige, where the proportions of flours may vary together with the kind of flavoring spices and lentils used.

In the authentic Maharashtrian Puran Poli recipe, the stuffing is made from chana dal (also known as bengal gram) which are husked and split black chickpeas.

The cooked chana dal lentils are sweetened with jaggery and spiced with cardamoms, fennel, nutmeg and ginger. The chickpeas are full of protein, fiber, folate and vitamins.

The poli (flatbread) is made from a mix of whole wheat flour (atta) and all purpose flour (maida). Whole wheat flour is also chock full of fiber, protein and minerals.