Vedmi or Gayri Rotli
Stuffed flat bread filled with sweet lentil filling and seasoned with a touch of cardamom and cloves.
This bread is also known as Puran Poli and served traditionally with melted ghee.
Ingredients for filling:
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1 cup toor daal (split pigeon peas) – soaked for a few hours or overnight
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¾ cup sugar
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½ teaspoon ground cardamom (elchi)
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¼ teaspoon ground cloves (lavang) - optional
Ingredients for the dough:
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1 cup wheat flour OR all-purpose flour / plain flour / maida flour
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1 tablespoon oil
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¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon warm water
Preparation Steps:
Step 1:
Thoroughly wash the soaked toor daal. Put it in a steamer basket. Steam in the pressure cooker (5 whistle) or steamer pot until the daal is tender.
Step 2:
Remove from the steamer basket and strain the daal in a glass bowl. The strained mixture will be dry and powdery in consistency. Add the sugar and mix well. Cover with a paper napkin and cook in the microwave for 3 minutes. Remove and stir well. Put it back in the microwave for 2 more minutes. The mixture should be all combined and sticky. Add in the cardamom and cloves and mix well. Set aside to cool down.
Step 3:
To make the dough, take the plain flour in another mixing bowl. Add the oil and rub it well in the flour. Pour the warm water a little at a time to make a soft and pliable dough. You may need just a ¼ cup of water or a tablespoon more, depending on the type of flour you are using. Divide the dough in 8 equal parts.
Step 4:
Take the cooled daal mixture and divide it in 8 equal parts. Roll it into round balls. Each portion will be about the size of a walnut.
Step 5:
Take a piece of the dough and roll it out to 5 inch in diameter. Take a piece of the daal ball and set it in the center of the rolled-out dough. Carefully bring the pastry to the top of the ball and pinch and secure it tight so the filling is sealed inside. Flatten the ball gently with your palm and roll it into a 4-inch diameter. Turn it over and roll a little more till you get 5 inches in diameter. Repeat the process for all breads.
Step 6:
Heat a non-stick skillet or tava pan on medium heat. Place the rolled out flat bread and cook on each side till the pastry gets a very light color. Remove and set on a plate. Cook the rest of the vedmi. These are now half way cooked.
Step 7:
When ready to serve, place the vedmi back on the tava pan and brush with ghee or oil and cook till each side till the pastry gets golden color. The vedmi will also puff up into a ball which indicates the filling is thoroughly hot and ready to serve. Repeat with the rest of the vedmi and serve immediately.
Traditionally the vedmi is served with a generous pour of melted ghee on top. This is optional.
NOTE:
You can freeze the vedmi after Step 5 is complete. Completely cool the vedmi and stack with a piece of parchment paper in between each vedmi. Cover the stack with foil paper. Place the packet in a freezer bag and store for at least 3 months. To use: defrost at room temperature and follow Step 7 to cook and serve.
[Makes 8 vedmi]
