Coconut Poli Recipe – Thengai Poli

Updated on April 13, 2019

Coconut Poli recipe with stepwise photos and video. They are also known as “Thengai Poli” or “Kobbari Obbattu” across South Indian states.

These Polis are traditionally made during the new year day to bring in prosperity and wealth as both coconut and jaggery symbolises the same.

The entire process of making the coconut poli is an art in itself.

Though a beginner can get it right at the first attempt itself, it takes a lot of practice and experience to attain the level of perfection.

I love the coconut polis that you get from “Venkateswara Boli” stalls and I really love visiting them often.

The aroma of ghee and the coconut stuffing together is quite a heady combination.

And eating them piping hot from the banana leaf is quite satiating as well.

Earlier I used banana leaves to pat the polis but now-a-days stick to parchment paper for ease of use.

Besides they are always available unlike banana leaf unless you happen to have a plantain tree in your backyard.

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Notes:

1. Grate only the white part of the coconut & not the brown skin. Using only the white part will make the stuffing soft and pliant.

2. You can also use 1:1 of whole wheat flour and all purpose flour, but patting it out with just fingers alone will be difficult.

3. You can make the thengai pooranam (coconut stuffing) 2 or 3 days beforehand and store it in the fridge. Just thaw it out to room temperature while the dough is soaking.

Coconut Poli recipe with stepwise photos:

1. In a bowl, take all purpose flour, turmeric powder, salt & 2 tbsp gingelly oil, mix with finger tips.

2. Add water little by little and knead into a soft and smooth dough.

3. Let it rest for 10 mins. Knead once and make ping pong sized balls uniformly.

4. Pour 1/4 cup gingelly oil and let the balls rest for 20 to 30 mins.

5. Heat a pan with 1 tbsp ghee. Add freshly grated coconut and saute over low flame, taking care not to burn till the coconut softens and lightly reduces in size.

6. Once cooled off, transfer to a mixie jar.

7. Add cardamom, grated jaggery and grind to a paste without adding water and make small lemon sized balls and set aside.

8. Grease a parchment or butter paper. Place a ball of the dough on the paper and flatten it by patting  gently with your fingers till it gets to the size of your palm. Place a coconut stuffing ball in the center.

9. Gather the edges of the dough and pat it gently till it reaches the size of a roti.

10. Heat a pan & grease with 1/2 tsp ghee. Lift the parchement paper gently and flip it upside down on the pan. Gently peel away the parchment paper.

11. Drizzle few drops of ghee around the poli & grease on top too. Once you see the spots appearing on top & puffing lightly at places, flip it over for the other side to get cooked as well.

12. Remove on to a plate & continue to cook all the polis.

13. Coconut Poli is ready to be served hot or warm.

Coconut Poli Recipe details below:

Print Recipe

Coconut Poli

Sweetened coconut and jaggery stuffing, stuffed into dough, flattened and cooked in ghee.

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Soaking Time30 mins

Total Time40 mins

Course: Dessert / Sweet

Cuisine: Indian

Servings: 8

Author: Radhika

Ingredients:

For the dough:

• All purpose flour - 1 cup
• Salt - 1 pinch
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Gingelly oil - 2 tbsp + 1/4 cup
• Water - 1/2 cup approx.,

For the coconut stuffing:

• Freshly grated coconut - 1 cup
• Jaggery (grated) - 1/2 cup
• Cardamom - 2
• Ghee - 2 tbsp (divided)

Instructions:

Make the dough:

• In a bowl, take all purpose flour, add turmeric powder, salt & mix together.
• Add 2 tbsp gingelly oil, mix with finger tips by rubbing the oil into the flour, till it resembles like bread crumbs.
• Add water little by little and knead into a soft and smooth dough.
• Let it rest for 10 mins.
• Knead once and make ping pong sized balls uniformly.
• Pour 1/4 cup gingelly oil and let the balls rest for 20 mins.

Make the coconut stuffing:

• Heat a pan with 1 tbsp ghee.
• Add freshly grated coconut and saute over low flame, taking care not to burn till the coconut softens and lightly reduces in size.
• This may take 2 to 3 mins.
• Take off fire and let it cool a bit.
• Once cooled off, transfer to a mixie jar.
• Add cardamom, grated jaggery and grind to a paste without adding water, using the pulse mode in the mixie unit.
• Mix well to combine and make small lemon sized balls and set aside.

Shape the coconut poli:

• Grease a parchment or butter paper. You can also use banana leaf.
• Place a ball of the dough on the paper and flatten it by patting gently with your fingers till it gets to the size of your palm.
• Place a coconut stuffing ball in the center.
• Gather the edges of the dough and bring it over the coconut ball & seal it on top and make it into a ball again.
• Flip the ball so that the sealed part is at the bottom.
• Grease your palm and fingers with gingelly oil.
• Start first by using the pad below the thumb to flatten the ball.
• Follow press and spread motion and once it reaches the size of your palm, switch to using your fingers.
• Pat it gently till it reaches the size of a roti.
• Do not put pressure which will make the stuffing to come out of the dough.

Cook the coconut poli:

• Heat a pan & grease with 1/2 tsp ghee. Keep the flame in medium low.
• Lift the parchement paper gently and flip it upside down on the pan.
• Gently peel away the parchment paper.
• Drizzle few drops of ghee around the poli & grease on top too.
• Once you see the spots appearing on top & puffing lightly at places, flip it over for the other side to get cooked as well.
• Drizzle few more drops of ghee around the poli.
• Remove on to a plate & continue to cook all the polis.
• Coconut Poli is ready to be served hot or warm.

Video: