Ugadi recipes - Pulihora and Poli/Obattu

 

Once again, I wish everyone a Very Happy Ugadi !! Puran Poli/Obattu/Bakshalu and Pulihora are some of the Ugadi recipes which are prepared on this festive day. Pulihora can be made in many varieties with lemons, tamarind, mangoes, coconut etc. The one I made is with tamarind pulp and is called Pulusu Pulihora/Tamarind Rice.For something sweet, I made Bakshalu which is made by stuffing the mixture of chana dal and jaggery powder in dough and shallow frying it.

For preparing Puran Poli you need to have lot of patience or else you may end up with a mess :D. Basically, the stuffing should be very dry then, think you are almost done.

So, here is the way how to make them.

Tamarind Rice/ Pulusu Pulihora

Serves 2-3
Cooking and Preparation Time - 30 mins (I generally make Pulusu or Tamarind Pulp 1 day before and keep because it gives a nice taste next day)

Ingredients :

Tamarind Water - 3 cups
Chana Dal - 1/4 cup
Peanuts - 1/4 cup
Cumin and Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tbsp each
Dry Red Chillies - 3
Green Chillies-3
Asafoetida - a pinch
Curry leaves - 10 approx
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil 2-3 tbsp

Method :

1.  Take a thick bottomed vessel, heat oil in it and add asafoetida, peanuts, chana dal to it.
2. When peanuts and dal are changing color add mustard, cumin seeds, turemric powder, red, green chillies and curry leaves.
3. Add salt and the tamarind water to it.
4. Keep it on medium heat and let the tamarind water become a thick paste stirring occassionally.
5. Let the paste cool and store it in the fridge or outside covered if you are preparing the pulihora the next day.
6. Cook 2 cups of basmati rice and mix it with the paste made.
7. Pulihora is ready :).

Puran Poli/Bakshalu/Obattu

Serves 4-5 approx
Cooking and Preparation Time - 20 mins for making 5-8 polis
(I prepared the stuffing, dough yesterday and stored it in the fridge)

Ingredients :

For the Stuffing you will need :

Jaggery made into rough powder - 1 - 1.5 cups
Chana Dal - 1 cup
Cardamom powder - 1/4 tbsp

Method  :

1. Wash the dal and pressure cook with sufficient quantity of water until one whistle. The dal cooked should not be broken and smust be slightly soft. Drain the water and place the dal on a dry cloth or tissue for almost 45 mins to 1 hr to make it dry.
2. Make a paste of the above mentioned cooked dry dal and powdered jaggery using a grinder/food processer along with cardamom powder.
3. The paste which we call Purnam should be dry and when made should come out as a firm ball.
4. If it is not dry and cannot be made into a ball cook it on medium to low heat for 10 mins approx stirring continously without burning it. Let it cool and then try to make the stuffing balls which you should be able to as the purnam becomes firm which is all we need to make the Polis.

To make the dough :

Maida/All purpose flour - 1 cup
Ghee - 1-2 tbsp
Water enough to knead

Method :

1. Make dough with sufficient quantity of water, ghee and keep it aside.

 To prepare the Polis :

 Ingredients :

 Dough Kneaded
 Purnam/Stuffing of Jaggery and Chana Dal
 Oil/Ghee for shallow frying
 Aluminium Foil/Plastic Sheet for rolling

Method :

1. Divide the dough and stuffing into marble sized balls and place them on a plate or paper (Step 1 in image).
2. Apply oil on the aluminium forl/plastic sheet and roll out the dough ball into a small round using a rolling pin or stretching it with your hand.
3. Now place the stuffing ball in the center of the rolled out dough and cover it by bringing the edges together.(Step 3 in image).
4. Grease your hands with few drops of oil and roll the ball with a rolling pin slowly starting at the edges and then towards the center making it into a thin and circular shape.(you can also press with hands instead of using a rolling pin).
5. Heat a non stick pan with 1/4 tbsp of oil/ghee and then place this rolled out poli removing it from the aluminium foil.
6. Fry with small quantity of ghee on both the sides and the Bakshams/Polis/Ubattu are ready to be served.