Friday 15 January 2016

Gulachi Poli/ Jaggery Stuffed Flatbread

Gulachi poli (गुळाची पोळी) or Til-Gul Poli (तिळगुळ पोळी) is a traditional Maharashtrian recipe made on the occasion of Makar sankranti, along with Til-Gul Wadi. This recipe isn't very sweet and is served cold along with ghee. According the the ayurvedic school of thought, jaggery is heat producing and the polis are thus served with ghee, which balances the heat. Like every traditional preparation, each family has their own recipe.Here's ours.


Recipe for Gulachi Poli/ Jaggery Stuffed Flatbread:

Ingredients:


For the Filling:



Jaggery/Gul1/2 kg
Sesame Seeds/Til90 gms
Chickpea Flour/Besan80 gms
Ghee75 gms
Dry Coconut (Grated)25 gms
Cardamom Powder1/2 tsp

For the Covering:



Maida3 cups
Wheat Flour1.5 cups
Oil4 Tbsp
SaltTo Taste (~ 1/2 tsp )

How to make Gulachi Poli/ Jaggery Stuffed Flatbread:

The thinner the Gul Polis are, the longer they will stay well.
A thick layer of filling will 'moisten' the poli quickly.

1.Let's make the stuffing first. Traditionally, the jaggery used to be grated but these days my mum microwaves it to turn it into a smooth paste-like consistency. The jaggery can be 'broken down' either way, but it is very important to make sure that no rocks remain, since they will tear the poli while rolling it later

2.Dry roast the til and grind to a powder. You can choose to make it as course or as fine as you like.
3.Dry roast the coconut and crush it whilst still warm.
4.Melt the ghee in a non-stick pan and sauté the besan until it turns pinkish-brown.
5.Now pour the besan mixture along with the til powder and coconut into the jaggery. Add the cardamom powder and mix it well. Be very carefull since the ghee will be hot.Use a spatula to mix it all initially and once it cools a bit, mix it well with hand. Let it cool
7.To make the covering,Mix the flours and salt in a bowl. Heat the oil and add it to this mixture.Mix well.
8.Make a firm dough by adding little water at a time.Let it rest for about 15 minutes.
9. Divide the covering dough and filling into 20 equal portions respectively.
10.Now, divide each of these 20 portions into two. Roll each half into two inch circles. Now form one portion of stuffing into a disc-like shape and place it over one of the rolled out covering discs.
11. Place the other cover disc over the jaggery stuffing and pinch it all together at the sides. Eliminate all air bubbles while doing so.Flatten the layered disc a little between your palms.
12.Sprinkle the surface with a little wheat flour and roll out polis (with a rolling pin) ~ 6-7" in diameter.
13.Roll it very carefully and lightly.
14.Using a 'katan' (कातण) (a cutting wheel with rigged edges), cut out the excess covering, if any.
15.Heat a griddle and roast the poli on low to medium heat. An induction cooktop works the best for this poli, since it is essential to roast it on slow controlled heat.
16.Roast until it turns light brown and then flip it and cook until the other side is light brown as well. Be carefull since the jaggery is super hot at this point of time.
17.Once done let it cool on a wire rack. Once cooled, it will turn crisp, after which it can be stored.
18.Enjoy with a dollop of ghee. Some of my family members like to eat this with some pickle as well (sounds weird, doesn't it? )

These polis stay well on the countertop for about a week.The stuffing can be made in advance, since it stays well in the refrigerator for months! With the filling ready, the polis can be made fresh everytime, without using any elbow grease.


Note: It is important to select the right kind of jaggery. For these poli we use the dark (gives better colour) and less sticky variety, since otherwise they will end up being chewy and sticky as opposed to brittle and delicious :)

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