In Maharashtra, tilgul poli is the main preparations made on Sankranti.This is a traditional recipe for 'Makar Sankranti'. It contains Til (sesame seeds) & Gul(jaggery). 'Gulpoli' is prepared as a naivedyam (offering) for God. It is very crispy and you can eat it for 6-7 days...

Winter is not just to have soup and rice, try out these Maharashtrian delights this winter, I am sure you gonna love this type of variation in your winter diet menu!

Preparation Time : 25 mins

Cooking time : 30 minutes

Servings : Depends

Ingredients For the Stuffing/Filling:

• 1 Cup brown cane sugar / jaggery (grated)(adjust to taste)
• 1/4 Cup White Sesame Seeds /Til (lightly roasted till it is crisp & golden in colour)
• 1/4 Cup Poppy Seeds/Khuskhus (Dry-roasted powdered)
• 1/4 Cup Dry grated Coconut (Dry-roasted)
• 1/4 Cup Chickpea Flour/Besan
• Ghee/Clarified Butter (as needed)(can substitute with unsalted butter)
• Pinch of Nutmeg Powder/Jaifal powder (Optional)

Ingredients For the Dough:

• 1 Cup Wheat Flour/Atta/Kanik
• 1 Cup All-Porpose Flour/Maida
• 2 Tbsp Chickpea Flour/Besan
• 3-4 Tbsp Oil
• Salt (Adjust to your test)
• About 3/4 Cup Milk (can substitute with water)

Procedure:

1. Mix all the flours .Add Salt according to taste. Make a well in the middle, heat oil and add it to the flour. The oil should be sizzling hot .Then mix it nicely. Make a soft dough adding milk / water little at a time. Knead the dough wellfor 5 mins.The dough should be medium soft.Cover it with a plastic wrap.Let the dough rest for atleast 1 hour.
2. Now for filing, grate the jaggery.
3. Heat Ghee in a pan add chickpea flour and roast it. Add Ghee as required little at a time.Keep stirring continuously.Roast on low heat till it changes its colour.It will take about 6-7 minutes and its aroma spreads all over the room.Then switch off heat and keep it aside. Let it cool completely.
4. Roast sesame seeds, poppy seeds and coconut one by one.
5. Grind Poppy seeds to powder.Remove it in a plate and keep it aside.
6. Then Grind sesame seeds and coconut to powder.
7. Combine sesame seeds powder,Poppy Seeds powder,Coconut,chickpea flour and jaggery.All together grind this mixture in a mixie till they are well combined.Add nutmeg powder to this and mix well. Make 7-8 balls for filling.
8. Make equal portions of dough. Sprinkle some all purpose flour on rolling board. Roll the dough to the size of puri.Place a ball of tilgul filling in the center close it by covering the edges at top so that the fiiling will not come out. Use more flour and roll it till it become normal roti size or 7-8 inches in diameter.
9. Heat the griddle (tawa) put some ghee roast it from both the side using ghee on medium flame till it turns golden brown.
10. Serve with ghee or eat crispy gulpoli.

Step by step Tilgul Poli recipe:

1.. Take 1 Cup Wheat Flour/Atta/Kanik and 1 Cup All-Porpose Flour/Maida.

2.. Mix all the flours .Add Salt according to taste. Make a well in the middle, heat oil and add it to the flour. The oil should be sizzling hot .Then mix it nicely. Make a soft dough adding milk / water little at a time. Knead the dough wellfor 5 mins.The dough should be medium soft.Cover it with a plastic wrap.Let the dough rest for atleast 1 hour.

3.. Now for filing, grate the jaggery.

4.. Sprinkle some flour and start rolling the dough.

5.. Make a medium or large circle as depending upon the size of the dough and filling you took. the cover should be rolled a bit thin and not thick.

6.. On a heated tawa or griddle, spread some ghee.

7.. Place the rolled poli/dough circle on the tawa.

8.. When one side gets browned, turn over and cook the other side till you see some brown spots.

9.. Once the second side gets browned, then turn over and apply ghee. if everything is done properly then tilgul poli will puff up. make all tilgul polis this way and stack them in a casserole or in a kitchen napkin.

Note:

1. To get fully loaded Poli use more stuffing than dough.
2. To get crispy result rost Poli/ Flatbread on low heat.
3. It become crisp after completely cooled down.
4. You can stored in the refrigerator for 10 days.Once completely cooled store in airtight container.

Enjoy!