Sweet Boli

             Sweet boli is one of the traditional sweet served with payasam in South Indian weddings. I love boli even without payasam and used to buy from the store. Once I saw Lakshmi Nair’s recipe, I just wanted to try it. The boli turned out to be so yummy. Even though it takes a long time to make, the result is just superb. Do try this.

Ingredients

1. Chana dal (Kadalaparippu) – 2 cups

2. Sugar – 2 cups

3. Sesame oil – ½ cup

4. All purpose flour (Maida) – 2 cups

5. Cardamom powder – ¼ tsp

6. Ghee – 1/4 cup

7. Rice flour – to make the rolls, so it won’t stick

8. Turmeric – a pinch (optional)

Method

1. Cook the chana dal in a pressure cooker until soft or till 1 whistle in low flame, or you can switch off the heat when the pressure is almost filled so that the dal can be cooked in that pressure (dont overcook it,  should be just soft) . Drain it very well.

2. Make a dough from maida with water (add gradually, usually 1 cup for 2 cups of maida), pinch of turmeric (for colour) and a pinch of salt. The dough must be soft (than chappathi dough). After making the dough pour the sesame oil on top of it and keep for at least 1 hr (you can also add the oil to the dough and incorporate it well).

3. Grind the cooked dal in a mixer till you get a paste.

4. Heat the paste in medium heat. Add the sugar and ghee to this. Mix well and cook until the mix starts separating from the pan (should be soft). Add the cardamom powder.

5. Make lemon-sized balls from this.

6. Also make small lemon-sized balls from the maida  (smaller than the dal balls).

7. Keep the maida ball in your left hand and spread it with your right hand.

 

8. Place the chana ball in the center of maida sheet and wrap it well with maida sheet.

 

9. Press the layered balls between your hands and keep it on the rice flour.

10. Repeat the same for all the other balls.

11. Finally make very thin round sheets from the balls like chappathi. Use the rice flour to make the sheets so that it won’t stick.

12. Fry the sheets in a very hot tava(no need to add oil). Turn and fry the other side. It will take only a few seconds. Take care not to burn it or else it will have burnt spots.

 

Its best combination is with payasam. You can refrigerate these bolis for more than a month.

Tips:

1. Can cook and make the chana paste a day before.

2. Make all the balls at a strech. (ask your better half to do this :-)).

3. When half of the sheets are done, start frying and in between make the remaining sheets.

Recipe by Lakshmi Abhilash