Festivals, at their heart, are about memory. And Gudi Padwa, marking the Maharashtrian New Year, is the perfect occasion for not just vibrant gudis and fresh beginnings, but a table rich in tradition.
It’s a festival where sweetness is in the spotlight, symbolising prosperity, joy, and the promise of a fruitful year ahead.
This season, the spotlight is on three recipes that beautifully capture the essence of Gudi Padwa:
Puran Poli with Mango Filling
By Atul Kumar Verma, Ira by Orchid Hotel, Nashik
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 260 gm whole wheat flour
- 30 gm oil or ghee
- 2 gm salt
- Water (as needed)
For the Mango Filling
- 240 gm mango pulp (from sweet mangoes like Alphonso)
- 140 gm grated jaggery
- 100 gm cooked chana dal (optional but traditional)
- 2 gm cardamom powder
- 20 gm ghee
Method
Prepare the Dough
- In a bowl, mix wheat flour, salt, and oil/ghee.
- Add water gradually and knead into a soft dough.
- Cover and let it rest for 20–30 minutes.
Prepare the Filling
- Heat a pan and add ghee.
- Add mango pulp and jaggery; cook on low flame.
- If using chana dal, mash it and add to the mixture.
- Stir continuously until the mixture thickens.
- Add cardamom powder and cook until thick enough to form balls.
- Let the filling cool.
Assemble and Cook
- Divide dough into small balls.
- Flatten each ball slightly and place mango filling in the centre.
- Seal edges and gently roll into a flat circle.
- Heat a tawa and cook on medium heat.
- Apply ghee on both sides and cook until golden spots appear.
Healthy Mango Shrikhand with Puri
By Pastry Chef Reshma Bhosale, The Orchid Hotel, Mumbai
Ingredients
For Mango Shrikhand
- Hung curd (low-fat yogurt) – 500 gm
- Fresh mango pulp – 120 gm
- Honey or jaggery powder – 30 gm
- Cardamom powder – 1 gm
- Saffron – 0.2 gm (soaked in 10 ml warm milk)
- Chopped pistachio/almond – 15 gm
For Puri
- Wheat flour – 2 cups
- Semolina (optional) – 2 tbsp
- Salt – a pinch
- Water – as required
- Oil – for deep frying
Method
Prepare the Shrikhand
- Hang yogurt in a muslin cloth for 4–5 hours to remove whey.
- Whisk the hung curd until smooth.
- Add mango pulp, honey/jaggery, cardamom, and saffron milk.
- Mix until creamy and smooth.
- Chill for 1 hour.
- Garnish with nuts before serving.
Prepare the Puri
- Mix wheat flour, semolina, and salt.
- Add water gradually and knead into a firm dough.
- Rest the dough for 10–15 minutes.
- Divide into small balls and roll into small puris.
- Deep fry in hot oil until golden and puffed.
Serving
- Serve chilled shrikhand with hot puris.
- Garnish with nuts and saffron.
Coconut Puran Poli
By Chef Nitin Borate, Executive Sous Chef, The Westin Pune Koregaon Park
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp ghee
- Salt to taste
- Water (as required)
For the Coconut Filling
- 1 cup freshly grated coconut
- ½–¾ cup grated jaggery
- ½ tsp cardamom powder
- 1 tsp ghee
- ¼ cup water (for melting jaggery)
Method
Prepare the Dough
- In a bowl, combine whole wheat flour, turmeric powder, salt, and ghee.
- Gradually add water and knead into a soft, smooth dough.
- Cover with a damp cloth and rest for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Prepare the Filling
- Melt jaggery with ¼ cup water in a pan.
- Strain if needed to remove impurities.
- Add grated coconut and cardamom powder.
- Cook on low heat, stirring continuously.
- Continue until mixture thickens and leaves the sides of the pan.
- Cool slightly and divide into small portions.
Assemble and Cook
- Divide dough into lemon-sized portions.
- Flatten and place coconut filling in the centre.
- Seal edges completely.
- Roll gently into a thin circle (traditionally on a banana leaf).
- Cook on a hot tawa with ghee until golden and lightly crisp.
