Dinda

Dinda 

Everytime on nagpanchami, my mom used to make puran polis, a delicacy enjoyed by maharashtrians. This is roti filled with a sweet filling of chana dal and jaggery. This is a complicated recipe and so there is one more option for people who prefer an easier way out. It is called Kadbu or dinda. The difference between the two is that one is fried and one is steamed like modaks. I naturally opt for the steamed one.

You will need 2 cuos of chana dal and 2 cups of jaggery for this recipe. You need to pressure cook the dal till it is soft and mushy. Remove all the water from the pot and use only the dal. There is a strainer for making this dal perfectly soft without any granules and as you pass the dal through this ‘puran yantra’ you will see the fine paste like dal residue.

Now, take a different pot and add the measured jaggery with the dal residue/paste and set it on a medium flame. As the jaggery starts melting, you will notice that the mixture starts to become moist. Continue stirring it until you notice that the mixture starts binding. Turn of the flame and add some cardammon powder once it is slightly cool and also add some slivered almonds and raisins. Keep it aside.

Start cooking the chana dal and jaggery

Notice how the dal becomes dry as it cooks. You know it is ready.

Now make a dough with wheat flour as you would for making rotis. It should be soft. Now, take a small ping pong sized ball of dough and start making a small roti out of it using a rolling pin. Fill in a spoonful of the dal and jaggery mixture in it and fold it in a square. After you finish about 10 start putting them in the idli maker to steam. Steam atleast for 15 mins on high heat.

Serve hot with lots of home made ghee.