Rita’s Dar ni Pori
This is a pastry filled with sweet lentils and dry fruits (Mawa is optional). To top it all there are cherries, which are so festive. I specially like the red auspicious color they add, my mother used to get these added along with green, yellow and red Tutti-Frutti! ( candied fruits )
Question: Did you know why the parsis make Dar ni Pori (Sweet Pastry)?
Answer: On Ava roj(day) and Ava mahinoh(month) Poris are sent and eaten. The devout parsis go to the sea or any form of water to pray and pay respect to the water that nourishes the body, while enjoying the Dal ni Pori.
Happy Parab (Ava Mahino, Ava Roj) to all my Zoroastrian friends.
It is believed that a water body helps nourish and purify the world. On Ava Mahino, Ava Roj, which is today, Zoroastrians offer prayers to a water body such as the sea, river, lake or water well. After performing the obligatory kusti, small tokens — each having its own significance — are offered to the water body. The coconut, flowers, dry rice, dar ni pori (much like puran poli but filled with chopped nuts and lentils), saakhar (crystal sugar) and milk are offered for sagan (good luck), a stick of turmeric, a dried date, an unshelled almond and a supari (betel nut) wrapped in a green paan (betel) leaf for strength and resilience of the family is also offered. After this, the devotee prays to the water body, asking “Ava mai”, as it is fondly known, to grant him/her good luck, peace and calm. Some families fill a small bottle with this sea or well water, which is then sprinkled on the thresholds of their homes to bring purity and goodness.
Recipe of Dar ni Pori (Sweet Pastry)
Pastry filled with Sweet Lentils and Dry fruits, also known as the Indian Dar ni Pori
by Rita Jamshed Kapadia
Original recipe from my Mother Parin Homi Munshi and dedicated to her.
Also known as Dar ni Pori, Daar ni Poli in gujarati.
Dar ni Pori is a pastry to be served at tea-time.
A Zoroastrian custom at weddings: 5-7 Dal ni Poris are sent by the Bride’s family to the Bridegroom’s family.
On Ava roj(day) and Ava mahinoh(month) Poris are sent and eaten. The devout parsis go to the sea or any form of water to pray and pay respect to the water that nourishes the body, while enjoying the Dal ni Pori.
Recipe
Ingredients for dal:
2 cups Pigeon Pea Lentils (aka Indian Toor or Tuver dal )
2 cups sugar
3 tbsp Crisco shortening
1/4 cup Mawa (optional)
2 tbsp sliced or chopped Almonds
1/2 cup mixed fruit (candied fruit)
1 tsp rose essence or 1 tsp vanilla essence – your choice
1 tsp each powdered Nutmeg, Cardamom and Mace
1 tsp Charoli (optional only if you have it, Charoli can be found in Indian grocery)
1 tbsp pillsbury flour
1 can of Pillsbury Cooking Spray
Ingredients for pastry:
1 cup cream of wheat (ravo)
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (maido)
1 tbsp shortening
or “Pillsbury Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets“.
or Pillbury 9 inch Pie Crusts
or Pillsbury™ Frozen Pie Dough Sheet (10x12in)
Ingredients for Maan: 4 tbsp shortening 2 tbsp all purpose flour or rice flour
Method:
Dal: Soak dal overnight. Next day put in pressure cooker with very little water, just enough to cover the dal completely. Keep cooker on lowest heat for 20 minutes. Take off heat and add sugar and 2 tbsp shortening. Cook on low heat stirring all the time, till thick. Now add the Mawa (optional and not traditional, but makes the pori extra yummy, please use 1/4 cup mawa) Almonds, Charoli, mixed fruit, essence, Nutmeg, Cardamom, taste while adding. This dal filling can be cooked and kept one day ahead. Make 3 inch round balls.
Pastry: Mix together all the ingredients and knead with enough water to make a soft dough. Cover with wet cloth and let stand for at least 3 hours. Overnight is better. Roll out in 3 big balls. Omit if using Pillsburry Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets
Maan: Mix flour and Crisco shortening with hands, until very smooth and light to touch. I mix it in a wide thali (wide round dish). Keep immersed in cold water.
Assemble the Pori: Take one ball of pastry and roll it out flat. Sprinkle few drops of cold water and then spread some of the maan onto the flat pastry. Sprinkle flour. Roll out another ball of pastry same size and layer it on top of the maan, again go thru the steps of sprinkling water, adding another layer of pastry and sprinkling flour at the end. Roll out last ball of pastry and put it on top. Turn edges inward and roll up like a strudel roll. Keep covered with damp cloth. Cut out one 3 inch piece from above roll, put flour on hands and twist the roll, press down the twists and shape into a round ball. Flatten this ball out and lift it and form a cup shape in your hands, put in this cup the dal ball. Seal edges together with a little water. Now is the hardest part – flatten this out till it is 1 inch thick circle, 5 to 6 inches round.
Bake on a hot tava (griddle) on medium heat, keep it white as possible. Add a little ghee to help. I find it useful to wear oven mitts while pressing down the pori on the griddle and keeping it moving around. Do both sides. (NEW Use “Puff Pastry”)
The pastry layers will show cooked (when you cut it apart to test) if it is done.
Flatten the pastry sheets out, take a big ball of dar flatten it at least 1 inch thick and fold the puff pastry.
Take a big tray with a non-stick liner or small round foil plate spray with Pillsbury Cooking Spray and bake with the folded side on bottom.
Bake at 400 F for 15 to 20 minutes till nicely light-brown. Watch carefully or the pastry will become dark-brown which is not preferred.
Practice makes this Pie – “Pori” perfect.(Pun is intended, for those of you who know that the meaning of “Pori” in Gujarati is also “Girl”!!!
Pillsbury Puff Pastry
Benefits
- Saves labor with pre-laminated dough
- No mixing, measuring, or mistakes
- Premium quality, exceptional taste
| Product | Case Pack | GMI Code |
|---|---|---|
| Sheet (10” x 15” x 0.125”) | 20/12 oz | 105123000 |
| Square (5” x 5” x 0.125”) | 120/2 oz | 105125000 |
| Trifold Slab (24” x 16” x 1.125’) | 3/10 oz | 105514000 |
| Slab | 60/5.6 oz | 205353000 |
| Apple Turnover (Sugared) | 60/3.7 oz | 105415000 |
| Cherry Turnover (Sugared) | 60/3.7 oz | 105417000 |
| Apple Bite | 320/0.8 oz | 105524000 |
| Strawberry Cream Cheese Bite | 320/0.8 oz | 105528000 |
Nutrition facts, ingredient, packaging and more available by clicking each product.
Recipe Story
It is believed that a water body helps nourish and purify the world. Keeping the environment clean helps our body stay clean.
Indian Parsi Zoroastrians offer food and prayers to a water body such as the sea, river, lake or water well. After performing prayers, small food tokens are offered to the water body. Coconut, flowers, Dry Rice, and a Pie called dar ni pori are offered for good luck.
Of course, the food offered is distributed to the poor children in India who are hungry and not wasted. Family members can also partake of this pie.
Some families fill a small bottle with this sea or well water, which is then sprinkled on the thresholds of their homes to bring purity and goodness.
Full Recipe Link – http://www.parsicuisine.com/dal-ni-pori-sweet-pastry/
Best wishes for a very Happy Navroze | ParsiCuisine.com Good Food leads to Good Health and a Good Life.
May 5, 2014, 10:50 am[…] Dar ni Pori […]
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Apr 4, 2015, 11:29 am[…] preparations began two days in advance. Dar ni pori (rich pastry stuffed with sweetened lentils) and malido (halwa) were carried in big vatus (pots) and served with puris. Anyone who has […]
Homai
Apr 4, 2015, 6:38 amCan one bake instead of girdle cooking
Please advice
Thank you
Parsi Cuisine
Apr 4, 2015, 8:21 amYes, you can bake the pori. Heat oven to 350 and bake till the crust is light and flaky. Watch it does not get too golden brown. I like poris that are almost creamy
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Apr 4, 2015, 4:16 pm[…] Dal ni Pori […]
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Feb 2, 2017, 1:14 pm[…] Read more and get recipe + Videos […]
KHUSHROW MISTRY
Sep 9, 2017, 10:23 pmFOR PREPARATION OF DAAL, THERE IS NO MENTION OF MAWA AND QTY IN THE INGREDIENTS
Rita
Sep 9, 2017, 1:28 pmMawa is optional so measurement is not included in recipe. You can add 3 tsp mawa to the cooled and cooked dar.
Thanksgiving in Canada with Parsi Dar ni Pori (Pie) – Parsi Cuisine – Good Food, Good Health, Good Life
Oct 10, 2017, 3:53 pm[…] down. I served it warm. Thank you Villy Divecha and Periz Neville Ghandi for inspiring me and the recipe is from Rita Jamshed Kapadia. I used puff pastry instead of Mann. I rolled the pastry quite thin […]
Daisy
Oct 10, 2017, 4:24 pmShould the dal remain grainy, or mashed?
Rita
Oct 10, 2017, 11:12 amDal should be mashed fine. This will work better when rolling out the pori (pastry).
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Apr 4, 2018, 10:12 am[…] mohnu’ include: khatai, ravo, badam pak, sev, dahi, mava cake, kumas, parsi custard, mava ni boi, dar ni pori, badam-ni-boi , jalebi, rabri, or any other traditional sweet dish. Iranian traditions for NowRuz, […]
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Jul 7, 2018, 10:22 am[…] Use Puff Pastry or Rita’s homemade dar ni pori pastry. (click here for recipe). […]
Abbey | threecatsandagirl
Mar 3, 2019, 2:26 pmIt looks tasty!!! Thanks for celebrating the Fiesta with us! 🙂 Happy you joined in! Enjoy your weekend!
Chetna
Mar 3, 2019, 11:07 pmHi ritaji!! Nicely explained dar ni pori. I m not parsi but i hav highest respect nd like for parsi culture and food.
DARAIOUS B BILLIMORIA
Mar 3, 2019, 1:22 amI might be mistaken but there didn’t seem to be any mention of “mava” in the ingredients, but it is included in the process. I am still not sure what the Maan is.
Rita
Mar 3, 2019, 10:50 amThanks Chetna.
Rita
Mar 3, 2019, 10:53 amDaraious – Maan is the shortening + rice flour mixture used to make the pastry dough.
Mava is an optional ingredient and hardly used in the traditional dar ni pori, being creative I add it to the filling sometimes. Use 1/4 cup of mava.
Thanks for pointing this out.
Best regards,
Rita
DARAIOUS B BILLIMORIA
Mar 3, 2019, 2:33 pmThank you Rita! Is “mava” something I can buy in a mithai shop (I live in the Toronto area)?
Rita
Mar 3, 2019, 10:11 amYes, you should be able to get the Mava in a mithai shop. Ask for it, it is a base used for making the mithais.
Better yet, look in the freezer section of any indian grocery store. I get NANAK brand which is good.
Minaz
Mar 3, 2019, 2:45 amAs written in recipe cooked dal n the dough can b kept overnight ..do v need to keep it fridge or outside?
Rita
Mar 3, 2019, 10:04 amMinaz, the dal and dough can be kept outside at room temperature overnight. Actually better if it so you can have the dal and dough soft.
If you live in very hot weather and are worried the dal may spoil then do refrigerate. Refrigeration will make it hard, but if you do then bring them out and keep outside for 1 hour to get to room temps.
CakePants
Jul 7, 2019, 8:03 pmI eat a lot of lentils, but I don’t think I’ve had them in a dessert before. Thanks for providing the background so I could learn about dar ni pori. It looks delicious!
Anonymous
Jun 6, 2020, 11:32 pmHi Rita, Can Pure or ‘Desi’ ghee be substituted for the Crisco Shortening? Thank you.
Rita
Jun 6, 2020, 8:12 amYes, of course! Desi Ghee is the best flavor and taste in the Dar ni Pori. Do not use Dalda or Crisco pls if you can avoid it – not good for health.
Firdousi Wadia
Mar 3, 2021, 7:55 amHow to make dough as puff pastry is not common in India.
Firdousi Wadia
Mar 3, 2021, 7:59 amYes quite interesting.
Rita Jamshed Kapadia
Mar 3, 2021, 9:14 amThat’s right Firdousi. In US, I use puff pastry crust for the Pori, which is widely available in supermarkets.
Rita
Between Flavour and Faith – ParsiCuisine.com
Apr 4, 2022, 7:39 pm[…] Faram Patel is midway through his work for the day. A steaming toor dal-and-sugar filling for the dar ni pori is ready in a cauldron after being stirred uninterruptedly for close to an hour. The first lot of […]
Baku
Jul 7, 2023, 8:57 pmDo we need to fry the mawa first?
What exactly is maan?
ParsiCuisine.com
Jul 7, 2023, 1:57 pmBaku,
No need to fry the mawa.
Maan is a shortening made by hand. This gives the pastry layers and makes it more fluffy.