Quick Answer
What is puran poli?
Puran poli is a sweet flatbread stuffed with a spiced, jaggery-sweetened lentil filling (the puran) — a signature dish of the traditional Maharashtrian wedding feast, typically served alongside varan-bhaat (lentil curry and rice), aamti and ghee.
Last updated:
Last updated:
What is puran poli?
Also called: puranpoli, holige.
No traditional Maharashtrian wedding feast is considered complete without puran poli on the menu — a soft, sweet flatbread with a rich lentil-and-jaggery filling, served warm with a generous pour of ghee. For event managers and caterers, it is one of the few dishes guests will specifically ask about if it is missing from a Maharashtrian wedding spread.
In Marathi — मराठीत
पुरणपोळी म्हणजे चण्याच्या डाळीचं गूळ-मसाला घातलेलं गोड सारण भरलेली पोळी, जी पारंपरिक मराठी लग्नाच्या पंगतीतील मुख्य आणि सर्वात महत्त्वाची डिश असते. वरण-भात, आमटी आणि तुपाच्या धारेसोबत ती वाढली जाते, आणि लग्नाच्या पंगतीत पुरणपोळी नसेल तर पाहुणे हमखास विचारतात. मोठ्या लग्नांसाठी ताज्या पुरणपोळ्या बनवणं वेळखाऊ असल्यामुळे आचाऱ्यांना आधीच नियोजन करावं लागतं.
What goes into puran poli and the traditional wedding spread
- •Puran — the filling, made of cooked chana dal (split gram) sweetened with jaggery and flavoured with cardamom and nutmeg.
- •Poli — the outer flatbread, rolled thin around the puran filling and cooked on a griddle.
- •Traditionally served with a generous ladle of ghee poured over, and often with a side of katachi amti (a spiced, tangy lentil-water dish made from the leftover chana dal cooking liquid).
- •The rest of a traditional Maharashtrian wedding feast typically includes varan-bhaat (dal and rice), bhaji (vegetable preparations), koshimbir (salad), and papad.
Catering notes
- •Puran poli is labour-intensive to make fresh at scale — confirm with your caterer whether it will be made on-site or pre-made and reheated, since freshness affects texture significantly.
- •Many modern wedding menus now also offer a broader spread (North Indian, Chinese, live counters) alongside the traditional Maharashtrian meal — clarify with the caterer if you want the full traditional spread preserved as a distinct section.
Nail down the menu with a proper tasting
Weddingkart helps you track menu decisions and vendor confirmations for every function, so the traditional spread you agreed on is what actually gets served.
See menu and vendor tools →Frequently Asked Questions
Is puran poli always sweet?
Yes — the puran (lentil filling) is sweetened with jaggery, making it a dessert-like dish, though it is traditionally eaten as part of the main meal with ghee, not saved for dessert course.
What is katachi amti?
A spiced, tangy dal preparation made from the water used to cook the chana dal for the puran filling — a traditional companion dish served alongside puran poli at Maharashtrian feasts.
Can puran poli be made ahead of time for a large wedding?
Yes, though quality is best when made fresh or same-day — for large guest counts, many caterers pre-make the puran filling ahead and roll and cook the poli closer to serving time.
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By Mayank JaiswalLast updated