Thengai Poli
Ellu Thengai Poli - A sweet flatbread made with whole wheat flour and filled with jaggery, freshly grated coconut and sesame seeds. It is topped with ghee to get the richness.
Ingredients
For the outer dough
- 2 cups Atta | Whole wheat flour
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoon ghee | indian clarified butter
- A pinch of salt
For the filling
- 1.5 cups grated coconut
- 1 cup powdered jaggery
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
- 1-2 tablespoon Sesame seeds | ellu (refer notes)
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg powder (optional)
Instructions
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In a wide bowl add the wheat flour, ghee and salt. Mix and form a dough by adding water little at a time. Knead it into a slightly loose dough. Brush the dough with oil and cover it with a damp cloth or a tight lid. Let it rest for two hours.
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Melt the jaggery in two tablespoon of warm/hot water. Once it dissolves, strain the jaggery mix using a strainer.
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Pour this mixture in a pan and bring it to a boil. Use a heavy bottomed pan or non stick.
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Once it starts boiling, reduce the flame to med-low and add the grated coconut, cardamom powder and nutmeg powder (if using).
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Keep stirring until the mixture thickens. It will take about 10 minutes. Transfer this to a plate and let it cool. When it is warm enough to handle divide the mixture into 10 equal balls. Keep aside.
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Now, take the dough and knead it once again. Divide the dough equally. You will get about 13-14.
Start rolling out each portion into small discs. Stuff the filling, close it and then roll it again carefully. Roll it lightly and as thin as possible.
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Heat a tawa | griddle, preferably cast iron or carbon steel. Once it is hot add the rolled out poli. Cook until brown spots appear on both sides. Follow the same with the rest of the dough. Spread ghee on top and serve.
Recipe Notes
- You can also use maida (all purpose flour) for the outer dough.
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While making the jaggery coconut filling, do not overheat it. As soon as the mixture comes together in one mass turn off the flame. If you keep it on for a longer time the jagger caramelizes and it will become hard. This will be a huge hassle while rolling out. The filling should be dry and smooth to ease the rolling.
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Incase the jaggery mixture hardens reheat the mixture with a tablespoon of water. This will loosen it up a bit.
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Alternately if your jaggery is pure, you can directly blend the coconut and jaggery (without adding water and dissolving the jaggery).
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Make sure there is very minimum moisture in the filling. It is also okay if the filling oozes out a little. As far as you don't struggle with the rolling, it is good.
- If you feel the sesame seeds taste to be overpowering or don't like the flavour start with 1 tablespoon or skip it altogether.