Go Back
+ servings
Print Recipe
5 from 42 votes

Paal Poli | Sweetened Milk Poli

Paal poli is a traditional South Indian dessert made during festivals. It is a deep fried semolina poori soaked in sweet saffron milk. 
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Resting time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 45 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: South Indian
Diet: Vegetarian
Servings: 20 pieces
Calories: 257kcal

Equipment

  • Blender

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Chiroti Rava/Rava
  • 4 cups Milk
  • 15 oz Evaporated milk 1 can (optional)
  • 10 Cashew nuts soaked in warm milk
  • 10 Almonds peeled
  • 1 ½ cups Sugar
  • few Saffron strands
  • ½ teaspoon Cardamom Powder
  • Oil for deep frying
  • Salt a pinch
  • 2 teaspoon Ghee

Instructions

  • Make stiff dough with the rawa adding a pinch of salt and enough water. Add a little bit of ghee when making the dough. Let it rest for 15 – 20 Mins.
  • Roll the dough into puris and deep fry in oil. We can either fry the puri as is or fold the puri into half and pinch the ends and fry them. The puris should be crisp.
  • Grind the soaked almonds and cashews into a smooth paste. Boil the milk and add the ground paste and sugar and let it come to boil. Add the elaichi powder and saffron strands and simmer the milk.
  • Soak the puris one by one in the milk and press it gently. Add the next poli and gently remove the previous one and keep it in a flat container. Repeat this with all the puris and drain them. Do not layer them more than 2 on top of each other.
  • If the puris are taking a while to soak, you can add 3-4 puris and then remove the older ones from the bottom. Do not let them soak too long in the milk, since they could break easily.
  • Once all the puris are done pour the remaining milk on the arranged puris. It is important not to have them too layered because then they will break when we try to take them out for serving.
  • Let them soak well for couple of hours and they are ready to serve. Tastes good at room temperature or when chilled.

Notes

Expert Tips 
  • When making the dough, make sure to make a stiff dough. 
  • Make sure that the puris are crisp when deep frying. Keep the flame in medium when frying. The crispier the pooris are, the better they soak the milk. 
  • Soak the pooris when the milk is hot. That helps in soaking it better. 
  • The ground nuts make the milk very rich and flavorful. So don't skip them. But also don't overdo it as it will make the milk too thick. 
  • We can fry the pooris the day before the festival and store them in an air tight container. This way it is easier on the day of the festival. 

Nutrition

Calories: 257kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 44mg | Potassium: 153mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 130IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 113mg | Iron: 1mg