A fiery and savory Maharashtrian curry made with a base of onion, tomato, and coconut, served with a generous topping of crispy chickpea flour noodles (shev). It's a rustic, flavorful dish best enjoyed with bhakri or chapati.
A classic Maharashtrian sweet flatbread where a soft outer layer encases a delicious, aromatic filling of chana dal and jaggery. Perfect for festivals like Holi and Ganesh Chaturthi, this dish is a true taste of tradition.
Prep45 min
Cook55 min
Soak240 min
Servings
About Shev Bhaji with Puran Poli
Aromatic Shev Bhaji with melt-in-mouth Puran Poli – a unique sweet and savory combo for a soul-satisfying treat!
This maharashtrian dish is perfect for lunch. With 1256.17 calories and 26.88g of protein per serving, it's a nutritious choice for your meal plan.
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1.5 tsp Red Chili Powder (use Kashmiri for color, adjust to taste)
1.5 tsp Goda Masala (or Kala Masala for authentic flavor)
1 tsp Salt (to taste)
0.5 tsp Jaggery (optional, powdered)
3 cup Water (use hot water for best results)
2 cup Thick Shev (also known as Tikhat Shev or Gathiya)
3 tbsp Coriander Leaves (chopped, for garnish)
Instructions
1
Prepare the Masala Paste
In a pan over low heat, dry roast the grated dried coconut for 2-3 minutes until it turns light brown and aromatic. Remove from the pan and set aside.
In the same pan, heat 1 tbsp of oil. Add the roughly sliced onion and sauté for 5-7 minutes until it turns deep golden brown.
Add the garlic cloves and ginger, and cook for another minute until fragrant.
Allow the onion mixture to cool completely. Transfer the roasted coconut and the cooled onion-ginger-garlic mixture to a grinder. Add a few tablespoons of water and grind to a very smooth paste.
2
Cook the Bhaji (Gravy)
Heat the remaining 2 tbsp of oil in a deep pan or kadai over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and let them splutter.
Add the cumin seeds and asafoetida, and sauté for 30 seconds.
Add the finely chopped onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until it becomes soft and translucent.
Add the ground masala paste. Sauté on medium-low heat for 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently, until the paste darkens in color and starts to release oil from the sides.
Stir in the tomato puree and cook for another 4-5 minutes until the raw smell disappears and the mixture thickens.
Add the turmeric powder, red chili powder, and goda masala. Mix well and cook for one minute to toast the spices.
Pour in 3 cups of hot water, add salt and the optional jaggery. Stir everything together well.
Bring the gravy to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and let it simmer for 10-12 minutes. This allows the flavors to meld and the gravy to develop a rich taste. The gravy should have a medium consistency, not too thick or too thin.
3
Assemble and Serve
To serve, ladle the hot gravy into individual serving bowls.
Just before serving, top each bowl generously with the thick shev. Do not mix it in.
Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves.
Serve immediately with jowar bhakri, chapati, or steamed rice to enjoy the crunchy shev.
6
Serving size: 1 serving
741cal
17gprotein
121gcarbs
23gfat
Ingredients
1.5 cup Chana Dal
1.5 cup Jaggery (grated or powdered)
3 cup Water (for pressure cooking dal)
1 tsp Cardamom Powder
0.25 tsp Nutmeg Powder
0.5 tsp Dry Ginger Powder
2 cup Atta
0.5 cup Maida
0.25 tsp Turmeric Powder
0.5 tsp Salt
0.5 cup Ghee (divided for filling, dough, and cooking)
0.25 cup Rice Flour (for dusting)
Instructions
1
Cook the Chana Dal
Rinse the chana dal thoroughly under running water. Soak it in ample water for 3-4 hours.
Drain the soaking water. Transfer the dal to a pressure cooker and add 3 cups of fresh water.
Pressure cook on medium heat for 4-5 whistles, or until the dal is very soft and easily mashed with a finger.
Once the pressure settles, open the cooker. Drain the dal completely using a fine-mesh sieve. It's crucial that the dal is as dry as possible.
2
Prepare the Puran (Filling)
In a heavy-bottomed pan, combine the cooked, drained dal and the grated jaggery. Cook on low-medium heat.
Stir continuously as the jaggery melts. The mixture will become liquidy at first. Continue cooking for 15-20 minutes.
The mixture is ready when it thickens considerably, pulls away from the sides of the pan, and a spoon inserted in the center stands upright. This is the 'spoon test'.
Turn off the heat. Stir in the cardamom powder, nutmeg powder, dry ginger powder, and 1 tsp of ghee. Mix well.
Allow the puran mixture to cool down completely to room temperature.
Once cooled, grind the mixture into a very fine, smooth paste using a food processor or a traditional 'puran yantra'. This step is vital for a non-grainy texture.
In a large bowl, whisk together the atta, maida, turmeric powder, and salt.
Add 2 tbsp of ghee and rub it into the flour mixture with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs.
Gradually add warm water and knead for 8-10 minutes to form a very soft, smooth, and pliable dough. It should be softer than regular chapati dough.
Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rest for at least 30-45 minutes.
4
Assemble and Roll the Puran Poli
After resting, knead the dough again for a minute. Divide the dough and the puran filling into 12 equal-sized balls each.
Take a ball of dough, dust it with rice flour, and use your fingers to flatten it into a 3-inch cup or disc.
Place a ball of puran filling in the center.
Gently pull the edges of the dough up and around the filling, pinching them together at the top to seal it completely. Remove any excess dough from the pinched seal.
Flatten the stuffed ball gently with your palm. Dust generously with rice flour on both sides.
Using very light and even pressure, roll the ball into a thin, 6-7 inch circle. Rotate the poli frequently to ensure even rolling and prevent sticking.
5
Cook the Puran Poli
Heat a tawa (griddle) on medium heat. The tawa should be hot but not smoking.
Carefully lift the rolled poli and place it on the hot tawa.
Cook for about 45-60 seconds until small bubbles appear on the surface.
Flip the poli. Drizzle about 1 tsp of ghee on the top surface. Cook the second side for another 45-60 seconds until golden-brown spots appear.
Flip again. The poli should start to puff up. Gently press the edges with a spatula to encourage it to puff up fully like a balloon.
Drizzle ghee on the other side, cook for a final 20-30 seconds, and then remove from the tawa.
Repeat for all remaining polis, stacking them with parchment paper in between or in a cloth-lined container to keep them soft.
6
Serve
Serve Puran Poli warm, generously smeared with more ghee. It pairs wonderfully with warm milk, yogurt, or a savory lentil curry called Katachi Amti.
