Puran Poli
Sweet stuffed flatbread enjoyed at festivals and special occasions in India
Puran Poli is a sweet flatbread from India, especially popular in Maharashtra and South India. It is made by filling wheat or maida flour dough with a sweet mixture of chana dal (split chickpeas), jaggery or sugar, and spices, then rolling and cooking it on a griddle, often with ghee. Puran Poli is commonly prepared for festivals and special events.
- Made with sweet chana dal and jaggery filling inside a soft flatbread
- Eaten at major festivals like Gudhi Padwa, Holi, and Yugadi
- Known by many names across India, such as holige, obbattu, bobbattu, and boli
- Can be served hot or cold, often with ghee or sweet accompaniments
- Mentioned in Indian texts as early as the 12th century
What is Puran Poli?
Puran Poli is a sweet flatbread with a soft, thin outer layer and a sweet, spiced filling. The dough is made from wheat or maida flour, and the filling usually combines cooked chana dal (split chickpeas), jaggery or sugar, and spices like cardamom or nutmeg. Some versions include coconut, dates, or nuts. The bread is rolled out, stuffed, and cooked on a hot griddle, often with ghee. It can be golden yellow if turmeric is added. The taste is sweet and aromatic, with a rich, soft texture.
Where does Puran Poli come from?
Puran Poli has a long history in India, with references dating back to the 12th-century Sanskrit text Manasōllāsa from Karnataka and a 14th-century Telugu encyclopedia from Andhra Pradesh. It appears in Ayurvedic writings as well. The dish is made across many regions of India, each with its own name and slight variations in preparation. Its widespread presence in historical texts and regional cuisines shows its deep roots in Indian food culture.
How is Puran Poli made?
To make Puran Poli, chana dal is cooked and mashed, then mixed with jaggery or sugar and spices to form a sweet filling. Wheat or maida flour is kneaded into a soft dough, which is divided into balls. Each ball is filled with the sweet mixture, sealed, and gently rolled out into a flat disc. The stuffed bread is cooked on a hot griddle, sometimes with ghee brushed on top. Some regions use coconut, nuts, or different spices, and the thickness and size can vary.
How and when is Puran Poli eaten?
Puran Poli is served during festivals, family gatherings, and special occasions, especially in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and other southern and western states. It can be eaten hot or cold, often with a dollop of ghee. In Maharashtra, it is paired with dishes like Basundi (a sweet milk dessert), Aamras (mango pulp), or Katachi Amti (a sour curry made from the cooking water of chana dal). It is also enjoyed as a snack or dessert after meals.
Kinds of Puran Poli
Different regions have their own versions of Puran Poli. In Gujarat, toor dal may replace chana dal, and the bread is thicker and smaller. In Karnataka, coconut and sugar are common fillings. Andhra Pradesh offers bobbattu with varied stuffings, and Kerala and Tamil Nadu have boli or opputtu, sometimes made with coconut or brown sugar. The method of rolling, the type of flour, and the use of ghee or oil can all differ, resulting in a range of textures and flavors.
What Puran Poli means
Puran Poli is closely tied to festivals and celebrations in India. In Maharashtra, it is a must for Gudhi Padwa, Holi, and other festive days. Karnataka serves holige during Yugadi. It is mentioned in ancient texts, showing its importance in Indian tradition. The bread is a symbol of hospitality and festivity, and making it is often a family activity. Street vendors and hawkers also sell it, especially during holidays and on trains in southern India.
When Puran Poli is on the table
Questions people ask about Puran Poli
What is Puran Poli made of?
Puran Poli is made from wheat or maida flour dough filled with a sweet mixture of cooked chana dal (split chickpeas), jaggery or sugar, and spices like cardamom or nutmeg. Some versions include coconut, dates, or nuts.
Where does Puran Poli come from?
Puran Poli is from India and is especially popular in Maharashtra and South India. It is made in many Indian states, each with its own name and style.
When is Puran Poli usually eaten?
Puran Poli is commonly prepared for festivals and special occasions, such as Gudhi Padwa, Holi, and Yugadi. It can also be enjoyed as a snack or dessert after meals.
How is Puran Poli served?
It can be served hot or cold, often with a dollop of ghee. In Maharashtra, it is sometimes eaten with Basundi, Aamras, or a sour curry called Katachi Amti.
Are there regional variations of Puran Poli?
Yes, different regions use various fillings such as coconut or toor dal, and the bread can be thicker or thinner. It is known by names like holige, obbattu, bobbattu, and boli in different states.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Puran poli", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Thali rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes, and it is not dietary or allergy advice: recipes differ from cook to cook. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
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