Sweet Pulse Pūrikā
Sanskrit
उत्क्वाथ्य विदलान् पिष्ट्वा चणकप्रभृतीन् शुभान् ॥ ८८ ॥ हिङ्गुसैन्धवसंयुक्तान् शर्करापरिमिश्रितान् । मरिचैलाविचूर्णेन युक्तान्गोलकवेष्टितान् ॥ ८९ ॥ किंचित्प्रसारिते तैले पूरिका विपचेच्छुभाः । एवं ताप्यां पचेदन्याः पूरिकाश्च विचक्षणः ॥ १३९० ॥
English
Having boiled and ground fine excellent split pulses, chickpeas and the rest, joined with asafoetida and rock-salt, mixed with sugar, joined with powder of pepper, cardamom, and the like, and wrapped in a ball of dough: in oil spread a little he should cook fine pūrikās. In this same way the discerning man may cook other pūrikās on the griddle.
A sweet-savoury stuffed bread with an unusually complex pulse filling. The balance should resemble a lightly sweetened spiced lentil pastry rather than a dessert.
Ingredients
- 1 can (400 g) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 40 g sugar
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- Pinch of asafoetida
- ½ tsp rock salt
- 300 g homemade maṇḍaka dough, or store-bought roti dough
- Neutral oil, for shallow-frying
Method
- Mash the chickpeas with the sugar, cardamom, pepper, asafoetida, and salt into a coherent paste, and divide into 12 small portions.
- Take a small round of dough — if using roti dough, it’s already rolled flat — and flatten a portion of filling into a puck on top of it. Fold the dough over the filling, tear away the overhanging excess, and press the edges together, flattening slightly. Small holes in the dough are fine; the filling is firm enough to hold its shape on its own.
- Shallow-fry in neutral oil until golden on both sides, or cook on a greased griddle over medium heat.