Breakfast, Paratha/Flatbread
Sanika Khadilkar
Aloo Paratha
Aloo Paratha

Desserts

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Puranpoli

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Puranpoli

Puranpoli is a traditional dessert made in India for the various festivals. Puran is a sweet stuffing and poli is a outer cover. Although it looks like a regular roti, but the preparation is different. Puran is made with boiled chana dal cooked with jaggery or sugar and the poli is prepared with whole wheat flour or all purpose flour. It is usually served with 'Ghee' or milk.

Being a Maharashtrian, I have always seen making this delicacy during festivals like 'Holi', 'Gudhi Padwa', 'Shravan Shukravar' or during Ganapati-Gauri pooja. Puranpoli is offered to God with other regualr meal. In Maharashtra, Puranpoli is incomplete without 'Katachi Amti' which means dal. Poli is sweet so it is served with spicy dal which balances the tastebuds. This sweet flat bread is known by the different names in different states of India. The way of making also varies from state-to state. In Maharashtra and Gujarat, the method is kind of similar but the only difference is that the stuffing is different.

Puran poli is easy to make if you follow certain rules.

  • The dough kneading is very important. The consistency should be soft. Keep the dough aside for minimum 1 hour or more.
  • While making 'Puran', drain the boiled dal completely. There should not be any water. Reserve the drained water for making 'Katachi Amati'
  • The ready 'Puran' should be hot while adding to the 'Puran Yantra'. This will give your stuffing a smooth texture. It will be easy to roll the poli.
  • You can use your food processor or grinder to grind the 'Puran'. For this method, cool the puran first and then add to the grinder. The main purpose is there should not be any chunk of dal in the stuffing. Otherwise, the stuffing will come out while rolling the poli.

Ingredients:

  • 4 cup chana dal
  • 3 cup grated jaggary
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • Ground nutmeg to taste
  • Ground cardamom to taste
  • Salt to taste

Method:

To make Puran:

  1. Wash and rinse chana dal with water. Sprinkle little oil over the dal and mix it. Add 8 cups water in a pressure cooker, add dal and cook it for 3-4 whistles or until it gets cook fully.
  2. Remove dal from the pressure cooker and strain through a strainer. Save the drained water from dal to make Katachi Amti
  3. Heat pan and add sugar and jaggary. Let it melt completely. Add cooked dal and cook it until the mixture thickens. Stir the mixture occasionaly. Add ground nutmeg and ground cardamom to the mixture.
  4. You can check the perfect consistency of Puran by placing spatula straight in the center. If it does not fall, the mixture is ready.
    5.Transfer the hot chana dal stuffing to Puran Yantra. to strain. You can use the refular steel strainer if you don't have Puran Yantra.

For the Cover:

  1. Sift both the flours and mix them. Add salt and ¼ cup oil. Prepare the dough by adding little water at a time. The dough should be smooth consistency. Press the dough in a plate with hand and add rest of the oil and keep it aside for 2 hours.
  2. After two hours again, knead the dough. The oil should get absorbed in the dough.

How to make puranpoli:

  1. Make equal size balls from Puran or the stuffing and also from the dough.
  2. Spread the dough ball to a small round with your hands or with the rolling pin. Place the stuffing ball on it. Seal the edges tightly and remove the excess dough if any.
  3. Roll in a circle like Aloo Paratha. Roast from both the sides on a medium heat.
  4. Cool them on paper. This recipe makes 35-40 Puranpolis.
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Chocolate Fondue in instant pot

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Chocolate Fondue

Chocolate fondue is a great dessert option for any small or big gatherings. I would even say that its a perfect meal option too. You would agree if you are a chocolate lover like me. :)

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I tried fondue for the first time at The Melting Pot and I have been in love ever since. Valentine's day is coming up and we are still in lockdown. So, I thought why not celebrate at home?

It is very easy to make with very few ingredients. Just grab your favourite chocolate and some dippers from your favourite local grocery store and you can have all that romantic experience at home!

I used my instant pot this time but I have done this on stove top too.

Chocolate to be used:

Seroiusly, any chocolate is good for this recipe. I have used chocolate bars and chips both and it tasts the same.

Dipping Options:

You can choose any dippers but some of my favourite options are :

  • Bananas
  • Strawberries
  • Angel food cake/Pound cake
  • Marshmallows
  • Oreos
  • Pretzes
  • Apples

Chocolate fondue in instant pot:

You will need:

  1. An instant pot
  2. A glass bowl which will fit on top
  3. About 2 cups chopped chocolate bar or chips
  4. 1½ cups heavy cream
  5. A teaspoon of vanilla
  6. 2 cups of water

Method:

  1. We are going to use double boiler method to melt the chocolate in instant pot. Add water in the instant pot liner. Set the pot onto Saute mode.
  2. Put the glass bowl on top of the liner. Add chocolate and cream.
  3. Stir in between till the chocolate becomes smooth.
  4. Adjust the consistency by adding more or less cream if you wish.
  5. Stir in vanilla extract.
  6. Press Cancel and then press Warm button.

Fondue is ready. (Make sure you use mittens while handling the hot glass bowl). Serve immediately with your favourite dippers.

Chocolate Fondue in a sauce pan:

  1. Add cream to the sauce pan and start the heat on a medium. Once the cream comes to simmer, remove from the heat.
  2. Add in chocolate and vanilla extract. Stir to make it smooth.
  3. Serve with your favourite dippers.

Leftover chocolate can be stored in a refrigerator. Just reheat on low heat and use it again.