Paruppu Poli / Puran Poli/ Obbattu

Wish everyone of you a very Happy Tamil New Year and Vishu.

I felt so happy that this new year came in during a weekend, had all the time to prepare an elaborate feast  just like back home with all the must do delicacies like vadai, payasam etc.,Amma always prepares sarkarai pongal, but I cut down on it as I made these delicious Poli's for breakfast.
 I happened to taste my first poli only when I was in college in coimbatore. The aunty who ran the mess for us over there made such awesome obattu's that I completely fell in love with them.
Amma never made this at home, but I have watched my MIL make this every year for bhogi pongal.
So here is the recipe from the beloved aunty combined with the few tricks from my MIL.

Ingredients:

1 cup Maida
1/2 cup water
3 tblsp gingelly oil
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
Ghee as per taste

For Poornam
1 cup channa dhal
1/2 cup jaggery
1/2 tsp cardomom p[owder
3 tblsp shredded coconut

Method:
Mix the maida with water and knead well to make a smooth dough. Add the gingelly oil and knead again so that oil is well absorbed. Keep it covered in a container for a minimum of 2 hours. The longer the resting time, the softer the poli's will be. Resting the dough overnight also helps in making soft poli's.

For the poornam:
Soak the channa dhal for two hours. Cook in a pressure cooker for 3 - 4 whistles.
Filter the water in a strainer and mash it well to a smooth paste.
Take the jaggery  in a sauce pan, add about 1/4 cup water to it and allow to melt.
Once the jagggery is melted and filter to remove any impurities.
Add it again to the sauce pan and bring it to a boil. Add the cardamom powder and the mashed dhal.
Cook till it becomes  thick. Add the coconut at this stage and mix well.
Stir well in low heat for about 2 mins. Allow it to cool completely.

Method of making poli's:
Make equal sized balls of the dough. Make same size balls out of the poornam
Place the poornam in the middle of the flattenned dough, bring the edges of the dough together and seal the poornam completely.
Place the dough in between two plastic sheets smeared with oil and press the dough to form a thin circle. You can also use a roller and roll it gently to thin circles.
Gently remove the plastic sheet and place it on medium hot tawa/griddle.
Add little oil/ghee around the edges and cook by flipping the sides.
The Poli is done when brown spots appear on the top.
Apply little ghee on the top after taking out from the pan.

Notes:
 Make sure the stove is on medium heat, else the poli will be over cooked and turn rubbery.