Tilachi Poli is one of those recipes that instantly takes me back to winter mornings and festival days at home. Soft, lightly sweet, and cooked slowly on a warm griddle, this stuffed flatbread is filled with roasted sesame seeds and jaggery, flavors that are deeply tied to Sankrant and family traditions. Earthy, nourishing, and comforting in the best way, tilachi poli is the kind of sweet you grow up eating, crave every winter, and pass on from one generation to the next.
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Sankrant is the first festival we celebrate in the new year, arriving during the short, cold winter days and marking the Sun's transition toward longer, brighter ones. Dedicated to the Sun God, it has always felt like a gentle turning point, centered around warmth, nourishment, and familiar foods.
In our home, Sankrant meant Bhogichi Bhaji with Bajra Bhakri, along with sesame and jaggery sweets like Tilachi Chikki, Tilachi Vadi, Til Laddu, and these sweet Tilachi Poli. Each dish used the same seasonal ingredients, prepared in different forms and textures.
My mom's Til Gul Poli was always the highlight. I still remember the aroma as she roasted and ground sesame seeds for the filling, sweetened with jaggery and gently spiced with cardamom and nutmeg. Rolled inside a soft whole wheat dough and cooked slowly on a griddle, it was simple, nourishing, and deeply comforting.
Over the years, I have learned that making the sesame filling ahead of time makes this recipe much easier to enjoy throughout the season. Because it is made with dry ingredients, it keeps well and allows you to prepare fresh polis whenever you want. Following these traditions today helps me preserve our family's legacy, and it is especially fulfilling to see both my sons look forward to these Sankrant favorites year after year.
How to Make Tilachi Poli
Lightly roast the sesame seeds until fragrant, then roast the besan and poppy seeds in the same pan. Allow all the roasted ingredients to cool completely. Grate the jaggery, then combine it with the roasted sesame seeds, besan, poppy seeds, and warming spices in a food processor. Pulse in the food processor until everything is finely ground, evenly mixed, and free of lumps, creating a smooth, aromatic filling ready to use.
Combine the wheat flour, saffron, and salt in a bowl, then gradually knead with lukewarm milk to form a soft dough. Add oil and knead until smooth, cover, and rest for 20 minutes.
Knead once more, then divide the dough into 12 to 15 smooth, evenly sized balls. Lightly dust a dough ball with flour and roll it into a small circle. Place a spoonful of the sweet filling in the center, gather and seal the edges, then gently flatten. Dust again and roll carefully into a thin 5 to 6-inch poli, using gentle pressure to keep the filling evenly spread.
Cook the rolled poli on a preheated pan over medium heat, flipping until golden spots appear on both sides. Drizzle with a little ghee, cook briefly, and remove once evenly cooked.
Serving
Not only can you enjoy the Poli hot but it also tastes good at room temperature. As the Poli cool down, they will become dry and have a texture similar to a thin cookie. These Poli also make for perfect picnic food or food to carry when you are traveling.
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Recipe
Traditional Tilachi Poli Recipe with Sesame & Jaggery
Equipment
Recipe Video
Ingredients
Filling:
- 1 cup brown sesame seeds I use the brown sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoons white poppy seeds
- 1 cup grated jaggery
- 1 tablespoon chickpea flour besan
- 1 tablespoon peanuts roasted and ground, optional
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Outer Covering:
- 2 cups whole wheat flour sieved
- ½ cup whole wheat flour for rolling
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk luke warm, plus more if needed
- 1 pinch saffron
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 tablespoons ghee
Instructions
Make the filling
- Add sesame seeds to a medium pan, and roast on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, or until they start to release the aromas. Reserve them in a bowl.
- In the same pan, add chickpea flour or besan, and roast for a minute on low to medium heat. Reserve along with the roasted sesame seeds.
- Add poppy seeds to the same pan, and roast for 1 to 2 minutes on low to medium heat. Reserve with the sesame seeds.
- Allow all the roasted ingredients to cool down completely.
- Grate the jaggery in a food processor using the shredding disk, or with a hand grater. If using food processor take the grated jaggery out and replace the shredding disk with the S-shaped blade.
- Add roasted sesame seeds, besan, poppy seeds and ground peanuts (optional) to the food processor with jaggery.
- Add cardamom, nutmeg and process for 1 to 2 minutes until all the ingredients are well incorporated and finely ground.
- Make sure there are no large lumps and the filling is ground evenly.
Make the Dough
- Add wheat flour, saffron and salt in a large mixing bowl. Adding a little lukewarm milk at a time, knead the dough. You may need upto 1 cup of milk, but add only as needed.
- Add oil, and once again knead the dough until it becomes soft and even. Keep the dough in an airtight container, and allow it to rest for 20 minutes.
- Take the dough out, and knead again for 2 minutes. Make 12 to 15 dough balls, rolling them well between your palms.
Roll the Sweet Poli
- Take one piece of the dough ball and dip it in the dry flour, coating it lightly.
- Roll it into a 4 inch circle.
- Pick up the rolled dough in the palm of your hand (I usually take it on my left), and bring your fingers together to form a bowl in your palm.
- Place 1 to 2 tablespoons of the sweet filling in the dough bowl. Tip - you may want to start with just 1 tablespoon first and then add more as needed.
- Gather all the sides of the rolled dough on top of the filling to enclose it lightly, so that the filling in sealed in.
- Slightly flatten the stuffed dough ball with your palms. Dip it in the dry flour, coating it lightly.
- Roll with a rolling pin, using gentle pressure to form a 5 to 6 inch circle. You can roll the poli thin, or keep it a little thicker. I roll mine thin, to about 6 inches in diameter.
Cook the Sweet Poli
- Preheat a frying pan on medium heat and gently transfer the rolled poli on to the heated griddle.
- Cook evenly on both sides, as each side will start to get golden brown spots. Flip the paratha a couple of times on the pan, until both sides are evenly cooked.
- Apply a few drops of ghee on both sides, and take the paratha out on a paper towel lined dish or a container.
Notes
Nutrition
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Renu says
Thank you so much for this recipe! Will let you know how it turned out
Do you mind telling me what brand of jaggery you used ?
Archana says
I usually buy Swad or Udupi brand square jaggery pieces.
Nidhi Tomar says
Can i skip poppy seeds in this recipe ? I have everything else on hand and am tempted to try it out today :). Wondering how critical are poppy seeds for the authentic flavor ?
Archana says
yes you can! It will still be delish
Mitali says
I have also added dry shredded coconut . It came out very good . Thanks for recipe . What is the shelf life of puran ? Can I make laddus of this puran and eat for 2-3 weeks ?
Archana says
It will stay good for 2 to 3 weeks at room temp or you can refrigerate for longer time and make poli when you like.
Jigi says
So delicious and all great ingredients! I can have it for dinner or in the morning with my tea! Yummy.
Chanchala says
When i cook the poli on Tawa, jaggery melts n oozes out, how to avoid that
Archana says
Make sure the jaggery is processed well. If there are big pieces they will melt as you cook