Celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi this year with some traditional Marathi sweet dishes. To help you out we have Chef Varun Inamdar, who has shared the recipe for Old Bombay Nankhatai with us. There's also a very healthy recipe for Puran Poli, the delectable sweet flatbread, shared by none other than nutritionist Sheryl Salis. Welcome Lord Ganesha with these delicious sweet nothings.
Old Bombay Nankhatai
Ingredients: 1/2 cup ghee | 1/2 cup powdered sugar | 3/4 cup refined flour | 1/4 cup California walnut powder | Pinch of salt | 1 tbsp semolina | 1/4 tsp baking soda | 1/2 tsp cardamom powder Glazing: 2 tbsp milk | 1 tbsp powdered sugar
Method
In a mixing bowl ghee and powdered sugar, whip smooth for 10 minutes till it is soft, white, fluffy and creamy.
Add refined flour, walnut powder, salt, semolina and baking soda, cardamom powder.
Mix well and knead the dough combining with your hand. Do not over knead.
Roll into a baking sheet till the dough is 1 cm thick. Transfer onto a baking tray.
Cut into long rectangles. Mix milk and sugar in a bowl and apply on top of the cut triangles using a brush. Bake at 180°C for 10 minutes.
Remove the tray and allow the cake to cool completely.
Store in an airtight container.
Puran Poli
Ingredients
For the dough: 1 Cup whole wheat flour | 1 tsp ghee
For the Puran Poli filling: ½ Cup Chana dal | ½ cup organic jaggery (gur) | ½ tsp cardamom (elaichi) powder | A pinch of nutmeg powder | Ghee- 2tsp- to apply on the puran poli (1/2 tsp on each)
Method
For the poli (chapati):
Combine 1 cup whole wheat flour and ghee in a bowl. Knead into a soft dough using water. Divide into 4 equal parts and keep aside
For the Puran (filling)
Soak the chana dal for half an hour. Drain water. Cook in a pan with sufficient water in a pan till it's cooked well (for about 15-20 minutes). Drain the water. Do not discard the water. You can use for soups or gravies or to knead atta for chapatisHeat a pan, combine dal, jaggery, nutmeg powder and cardamom powder. Stir continuously till jaggery melts. Mash the mixture well and cool well. Divide the mixture into four equal parts.
To make Puran Poli
Roll out one part of the dough into a chapatiPlace a portion of the filling in the centre of the chapati. Fold the edges of the dough and make it into a round dough. Flatten the dough and roll again. Use whole wheat flour to roll. Cook the Puran Poli on a griddle (tava) on a medium flame. Cook on both sides and apply ghee. Make the remaining three Puran polis in a similar manner. Enjoy it hot.