Puranpoli and Modak are the two sweets most people in Maharashtra grew up with, and both are still made the slow way in home kitchens. Neither one is difficult to understand, but both take patience, which is why good ones are worth looking for.
Puranpoli: a flatbread with a sweet heart
Puranpoli is a soft, thin flatbread stuffed with a sweet filling. The filling is called puran, and it is made from chana dal cooked until soft, then cooked again with jaggery until the two come together into a thick, dark paste. A little cardamom and nutmeg go in, sometimes a pinch of saffron.
The outer layer is a simple dough, usually wheat flour with a little oil or ghee. The skill lies in rolling the stuffed ball thin without tearing it, and in cooking the poli on a hot tawa with enough ghee to give it soft edges and a few golden patches.
Modak: the pleated one
Modak is a dumpling, and it is the pleating that makes people nervous. The shell is made from rice flour, or sometimes maida, and the filling is fresh coconut cooked with jaggery. The dough is pressed around the filling by hand, then the top is gathered into folds that meet at a point.
Ukadiche modak, the steamed version, are the ones traditionally made for Ganesh Chaturthi. Steaming keeps the shell soft and lets the coconut flavour come through. A fried version also exists, and it keeps longer.
Why we still make them by hand
A machine cannot pleat a modak. It can press a shape, but the folds that hold the filling in and give the sweet its look have to be made by hand, one at a time. The same is true of rolling puranpoli thin enough without breaking it.
So we make both in small batches, by hand, the way they are made at home. That is also why we ask for a minimum order, so that a batch is worth making properly rather than in a rush.
Storing and reheating
Puranpoli is best eaten warm, on the day it is made or the next day. Keep it in an airtight box in the fridge and warm it on a tawa with a little ghee, which brings the softness back. Do not use a microwave, it makes the poli rubbery.
Modak keeps well in the fridge for about two days. Re-steam it for a few minutes to bring it back to how it was, rather than eating it cold. If you have ordered more than you can finish, the fried version freezes better than the steamed one.
Prices and minimum orders
- Puranpoli: Rs 40 per poli. Minimum order of 5 polis.
- Modak: Rs 35 per modak. Minimum order of 6 modaks.
Both are made to order, so please message us on WhatsApp a little in advance, especially around festivals when we get busy. Tell us how many you need and when you would like them, and we will confirm.
We serve Panvel and Navi Mumbai. If you are planning for a festival, a pooja at home, or a family function, message us early and we will plan the batch with you.
