Onam, or sadya, is incomplete in Thiruvananthapuram without the boli. People from other parts of the state can’t digest the fact that it is necessary to eat 'a sweet, yellow dosa', which can be paired with paal payasam. During Onam, boli makers in the city are in overdrive with the making of Kerala boli.
Just like any other traditional dish, this one also has a long history. The dish was brought to the city by Tulu Brahmins from Karnataka who settled here. The dish took root and gained popularity among the Maratha Brahmin Dewans of the former Travancore region, who were introduced to boli as a part of festivities, and soon no wedding feast in Thiruvananthapuram was celebrated without the golden crepe.
Moreover, bolis are astonishingly similar to Maharashtra's Puran polis. The only difference is that puran poli is made with jaggery and cardamom, which are used to sweeten and flavour the dough; bolis are sweetened with sugar and flavoured with cardamom and a hint of nutmeg. Notably, the tastiest bolis are always soft, gossamer-like, and melt in the mouth when toasted with the right amount of ghee and a slight char. Boli is never too sweet or floury, and it is best eaten with payasam.
If you want to make boli at home for this year's Onam Sadya, follow the recipe below:
Ingredients
- 1 cup of yellow split gram
- 2 ½ cups water
- 1 cup of sugar
- ¼ nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- A pinch of turmeric powder
- A pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons of sesame oil
- Rice powder as required
- Ghee as required.
Method:
- Wash the yellow split gram and cook it in a pressure cooker by adding two and a half cups of water. Turn off the flame after four whistles.
- Strain the cooled yellow split gram. Now grind this without adding water in the small mixer jar.
- Take all-purpose flour, turmeric powder, and salt in a bowl. Mix them well with your finger. Add water and mix it into a soft dough.
- Rub sesame oil into the dough and keep it aside for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make a fine powder of sugar, cardamom, and nutmeg.
- Transfer the yellow split gram paste and sugar powder into a pan. Cook them well.
- Add a little water if the paste is too thick. Add 1 tbsp of ghee when the mixture begins to separate from the sides of the vessel. Cook them into a soft mix so that they can be rolled into the dough. Allow it to cool down.
- Rub some ghee on your palms and scoop out small balls from the dough.
- Roll these boli into thin flatbreads.
- Cook some boli on a hot pan and run ghee on both sides to keep them soft and fluffy.
- Enjoy with payasam.