652. Ghari Rotli (Puran Puri, Puran Poli)

   A lot of importance, praise, appreciation, love and thought goes into celebrating Mother’s Day. However, I feel that Father’s Day has definitely drawn the short straw! It comes, cards are exchanged, gifts are bought and Father’s Day is over. I feel that dads, papas, fathers, aboos, all over the world are less appreciated. I know my dad didn’t help my mum to change nappies, bathe us, clothe us when we were young but he did so many other things for us(my brother, sister and me).

   From what I gather, I always cried when my dad would come home for lunch even though I fed before his arrival.  So while having his lunch with his right hand, his left hand would be busy pulling the string to my hammock like ‘godiyu’ so that I may fall asleep.

My dad had protected us and provided us with whatever we required for our daily lives, right from school stuff to things we need at home. He protected us to the extend that we didn’t have to venture out to do things on our own. He may have not taught me how to sign a cheque book but he definitely taught us the value of money. Though he owned a toy shop, we were not allowed to pick any toy we liked. If we wanted something, we had to know what the price was and how many weeks of pocket money would it take to get it. So we were taught to buy our toys or reading books even though it was a family owned business.

   We were taught not to horde, so no extra shoes, dresses or basically anything. If one pair of shoe became small or broke, then we got another pair. Dresses were replaced when they became small or old. New shoes, toys or dresses were bought on our birthdays, for Diwali and when my dad or uncle went on a business trip abroad.  Maybe back then I may have not appreciated this system but now I just can’t to buy things that I don’t need.  Its a good lesson I learnt as it makes me less materialistic. I don’t need the latest in fashion clothes, bags or shoes.

   My dad would always pack my sister and my bags when we would leave home to go to the boarding school. He would remember to buy everything from soaps to clothes for us. After a few years, he would even buy our sanitary pads and my sister and I would want to hide in a tiny hole feeling shy! But for him that was all normal.

   Now we all are in our 50s but my dad still thinks of us as though we are very young. His usual questions to us will be “What do you need from here (London)? Do you need any money? Are you fine? Are you sure you don’t need anything?” That makes me feel so comfortable and secure. Its these small gestures that make dads the rock of Gibraltar. They have solutions to every life related questions or problems.

   No one parent can handle the overall development of a child. A well balanced character of any child is developed by both parents.  While mums are the hearts, dads are the minds. Mums do what the heart tells them and dads do what the mind tell them.

My special message to my dad: “I may not have told you often dad, that I’m the luckiest to have a dad like you. Love you so much and thank you for everything.”

   When Jagruti of Jagruti’s Cooking Odyssey requested some blogger friends to link up with her to celebrate Father’s Day, I knew what I was going to prepare. My dad, my late father in law and my hubby all love ghari rotli or puran poli as we call it in Gujarati or what the rest of India knows as Puran Poli. I think the word love is not enough. Whenever my mum would prepare it, my dad would insist that she leaves some filling on the side to enjoy on its own. My grandfather would insist on having his own katori of ghee so he could dunk the rotli pieces in the ghee and enjoy it. Hubby loves it with kadhi. My father in law would always tell us to make khata meetha kadhi to go with it and extra ghee was a must. With so many memories connected to this sweet, sweet treat I had to make it to celebrate Father’s Day (in advance ;)).

1. Soak the saffron in the hot water for 15-20 minutes.
2. Put the flour in a bowl.
3. Add ghee and rub it into the flour.
4. Add the saffron water and the other measured water.
5. Form a soft dough.
6. Knead it till its smooth.
7. Take some extra ghee and rub it over the dough.
8. Cover the dough with a lid or cling film and let it rest for 30-60 mins.

1. Heat a griddle, tawa or frying pan over medium heat.
2. Divide the dough into 8 parts.
3. Take one part of the dough and dip it in some extra flour.
4. Using your fingers and thumb make a cup or basket like shape with the dough.
5. Place the puran or filling ball in it and stretch the edges of the cup to cover the filling.
6. Pinch the seams to seal.
7. Flatten it slightly between your palms.
8. Dip in the extra flour and gently roll it using a rolling pin into a 6″ diameter circle.
9. If need be use extra flour to roll it.
10. Put the ghari rotli or puran poli on the hot tawa, griddle or frying pan and let it roast for 2-3 minutes or till light brown dots appear on it.
11. Flip it over and let the other side cook till its done.
12. Put the cooked rotli on a serving plate and smear it with some ghee.
13. Repeat steps 3-12 with the remaining dough and filling.
14. Serve hot ghari rotli with any green sabji and kadhi along with some extra ghee.

• Prepare the filling the previous day and keep it in the fridge.
• Make sure the dough is soft and not hard. If it becomes hard then it will be difficult to roll the rotlis with the filling in it.
• If you want to serve piping hot rotlis, then prepare them all ahead of time and don’t apply ghee to it. Just before serving let the roltis become hot on a griddle or tawa. Smear with ghee and serve.
• If you prefer less sugar then add less, however these ghari roltis taste the best with kadhi when they are sweet.
• Any left over filling will quickly disappear as it tastes good on its own.
• Some people make the puran in a microwave oven, I haven’t tried it. You can try it making it in the micro.

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