Significance of Sankranthi
Significance of using Sesame seeds for Sankranthi
Sesame seeds are rich in calcium and it’s the time of Winter when our bodies have the maximum capacity of Calcium absorption and also they help us keeping our bodies warm enough to endure the chilling winters. Hence the dishes are made using sesame seeds like Sakinalu, Nuvvula laddu, Murukulu, Chegodilu, Appalu, and many more. On the whole, this festival helps in nourishing our bodies, minds, souls for a beautiful start of New year.
What are other names of Nuvvula polelu?
Nuvvula polelu are made during Sankranthi in Telangana and they’re also known by Nuvvula bakshalu. Along with Telangana they’re also made in Northern Karnataka and Maharashtra regions. In Maharashtra these are known by Til gud poli, ellu bella holige in Karnataka.
Why we make Nuvvula polelu?
I hail from Telangana region and Sankranthi is a big festival for us, as we celebrate the harvested seasonal produce like Sugarcane, Paddy, Sesame seeds, peanuts etc., which has a significance of its own. We usually make a huge batch of Sesame Jaggery laddu/Nuvvula Laddu/Til gud ladoo and store them up to a month. They are just divine and delicious trust me and so does these stuffed flatbreads. We make this Stuffed breads (polelu) using this laddu’s available at home by grinding the laddu’s to a coarse powder and stuffing it. Roasting the stuffed breads (polelu) with ghee on a low flame attains the best taste possible.
And coming to these stuffed breads nuvvula polelu, they taste the best when they’re served warm topped with ghee.
Do checkout more traditional and vegetarian Telangana recipes here.
NUVVULA POLELU / SESAME JAGGERY STUFFED FLATBREADS
Equipment
- Rolling Pin
- Mixing bowl
- Tawa/Flat griddle
Ingredients
- 1 cup Sesame seeds
- 1 cup Jaggery
- 1 cup Whole wheat flour
- ½ pinch Salt
- Ghee/Clarified butter for roasting the breads
- Water to knead the dough
Instructions
Making the dough
- In a mixing bowl add in the wheat flour, pinch of salt, tbsp of ghee.
- Knead the dough by adding enough water to make a soft dough little bit softer than regular roti dough.
- Massage the dough for around 10 mins, which helps to make the poli soft and flaky.
- Cover the dough with a wet napkin and keep it to rest aside for 10-15 min
Making the filling
Method 1 - If you're making fresh filling mixture
- Heat a wide thick bottomed pan and slowly roast the sesame seeds until golden brown and start popping up.
- Cool down the sesame seeds and grind them to a coarse powder
- Add in the grated jaggery to the mixing jar and blend again for a second or so just to mix everything together
Method 2 - If you're using Pre-made Sesame Jaggery Laddu
- Take few laddu's in a blending jar and grind them to a coarse powder and transfer it to a bowl.
Making the poli
- Heat the tawa/griddle on medium flame to roast the stuffed breads.
- Take a Silicon mat/butter paper and apply some oil to it and take a small portion of the dough and spread to make a small chapati.
- Now take the equal amount of sesame seed mixture and place it on the chapati and bring the edges together and close together to seal in the mixture.
- Now gently flatten the poli with hands or roll with rolling pin gently by making sure the stuff doesn't get out.
- Now place the prepared poli on to the hot tawa and roast it on low flame by applying ghee.
- Roast on both sides until the brown spots/patches appear and Repeat the same for remaining dough.
- Serve them warm topped with ghee.
Notes
- Serve hot by applying some ghee along with warm milk to dip it.
- Roasting the poli for a long time makes it crispier so make sure to remove the poli as soon as you observe brown spots appearing
- After the poli's have cool down they might turn bit crispy, so consuming them along with warm milk makes it softer and taste better.
- If you have sesame seed laddu available at home just blend them to a fine powder and make poli's whenever desired.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS WITH PICTURES:
Making the dough
- In a mixing bowl add in the wheat flour, pinch of salt, tbsp of ghee.
- Knead the dough by adding enough water to make a soft dough little bit softer than regular roti dough.
- Hit and massage the dough for around 10 mins, which helps to make the poli soft and flaky.
- Cover the dough with a wet napkin and keep it to rest for around 20-30 min
Making the filling
- Heat a wide thick bottomed pan and slowly roast the sesame seeds until golden brown and start popping up.
- Cool down the sesame seeds and grind them to a coarse powder
- Add in the grated jaggery to the mixing jar and blend again for a second or so just to mix everything together
- Take few laddu’s in a blending jar and grind them to a coarse powder and transfer it to a bowl.
Making the poli
- Heat the tawa on medium flame to roast the stuffed breads.
- Take a Silicon mat/butter paper and apply some oil to it and take a small portion of the dough and spread to make a small chapati.
- Now take the equal amount of sesame seed mixture and place it on the chapati and bring the edges together and close together to seal in the mixture.
- Now gently flatten the poli with hands or roll with rolling pin gently by making sure the stuff doesn’t get out.
- Now place the prepared poli on to the hot tawa and roast it on low flame by applying ghee.
- Roast on both sides until the brown spots/patches appear and Repeat the same for remaining dough.
- Serve them warm topped with ghee.
Few Tips
- Serve hot by applying some ghee along with warm milk to dip it.
- Roasting the poli for a long time makes it crispier so make sure to remove the poli as soon as you observe brown spots appearing
- After the poli’s have cool down they might turn bit crispy, so consuming them along with warm milk makes it softer and taste better.
- If you have sesame seed laddu available at home just blend them to a fine powder and make poli’s whenever desired.
