Maharashtrian Puranpoli Meets Greek Spanakopita
Chef Dinesh Joshi reimagines the beloved Maharashtrian favourite, puranpoli, as a spanakopita, enclosed in layers of buttery phyllo pastry.
Puranpoli is a traditional Maharashtrian recipe that is learned in home kitchens, a flatbread stuffed with dal and jaggery, sometimes even coconut, and cooked in generous amounts of ghee. It is a festive recipe and is made in households during Holi and other auspicious occasions like Navaratri.
In this particular variation, one that is a favourite with my family and friends, puranpoli meets the spanakopita — a savoury Greek pie, typically stuffed with spinach and feta. A couple of tips to keep in mind when making this is: make sure the dal is cooked well — you should be able to mash it between your fingers; to get a smooth paté-like texture pass the puran through a sieve or use a hand blender. And finally, it is incredibly delicious served with melted ghee or warm milk that gently soaks into the layers phyllo pastry.
Recipe: Spanakopita-Inspired Puranpoli
Ingredients
35 g chana dal (Bengal gram)
35 g jaggery
2 g cardamom powder
2 ml ghee
5 sheets filo pastry
10 g melted butter
3-4 strands saffron
1 tbsp rose syrup
Nuts, for serving
Berries, for serving
Method
Wash and clean the dal and add to a pot with 200 ml water to cook. When the dal is perfectly cooked — you should be able to mash the dal with the back of the spoon — drain the water and keep the dal in a colander to remove any excess water.
Transfer back to a pot, and add jaggery, cardamom powder and saffron to the dal and mix well.
Cook, stirring frequently, for 10-15 minutes on medium heat until the jaggery is fully melted and the mixture is cooked.
Carefully pass it through a sieve or blend using a hand blender while it is still hot to avoid lumps being formed.
To a baking sheet, add the filo sheet, followed by the filling and brush on the melted butter.
Bake at 200 degrees Celsius for 12 minutes.
Once it comes out of the oven, brush on the ghee and rose syrup.
Garnish with nuts, and berries.
Chef Dinesh Kumar is the Executive Chef of Vivanta (Taj) Navi Mumbai.
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