Two days before a wedding in Goa, an ojem (basket) containing bol, doce and bananas is sent by the bride's family with the trousseau to the house of the groom. The sweets and bananas are for distribution to his relatives, friends and neighbours. Bol is often referred as a wedding sweet, black in colour, has a distinct taste and appearance of half a coconut shell.
The batter is prepared with coconut, jaggery, coarse ground wheat, cardamom powder, toddy and salt. It is left to ferment overnight, shaped using a coconut shell or round mould and baked at 350 F or 180 C. The sweet jaggery cakes rise with slight cracks on the top. When cool, they harden like a cookie, tough on the outside but soft on the inside.
Palm jaggery contributes to the colour and sweetness in the bol. Toddy aids in rising, while lending a pleasant tang. This fermented cake is easily available in Goa at various sweet or bakery stores, sold at stalls for feast and other special occasions. It keeps well at room temperature for a week and should be refrigerated for a longer shelf life.
The batter is prepared with coconut, jaggery, coarse ground wheat, cardamom powder, toddy and salt. It is left to ferment overnight, shaped using a coconut shell or round mould and baked at 350 F or 180 C. The sweet jaggery cakes rise with slight cracks on the top. When cool, they harden like a cookie, tough on the outside but soft on the inside.
Palm jaggery contributes to the colour and sweetness in the bol. Toddy aids in rising, while lending a pleasant tang. This fermented cake is easily available in Goa at various sweet or bakery stores, sold at stalls for feast and other special occasions. It keeps well at room temperature for a week and should be refrigerated for a longer shelf life.
 Wet Wheat  Wheat ground coarsely in the dry grinder. Coconut & Jaggery ready to be blended with toddy  Wheat flour mixed in and the batter left overnight  Stainless Steel Bowl from Ikea  The bowl lined with plastic wrap and filled with batter |  Dried Wheat  Coconut ground coarsely with jaggery and toddy  Next morning, most of the moisture absorbed  Half cup measure filled with batter  Bols ready for baking |
Bol or Boll (Goan Sweet Coconut Jaggery Cake)
(Yields 6 - 735 grams)
Ingredients:
200 ml toddy
300 grams whole wheat
200 grams fresh grated coconut
250 grams Goa palm jaggery
1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder
a pinch of salt
Method:
Clean wheat by removing any small stones and dirt. Wash well, drain water and spread wheat on a cloth to dry, either in the sun or on the kitchen counter. Once dry, it will have a whitish look. Grind wheat in a dry grinder to a coarse powder. Set aside.
Grate or use a knife to cut the jaggery into small pieces. In a blender, grind jaggery with coconut and toddy to a coarse consistency. Ensure that the jaggery is thoroughly ground. Transfer mixture to a bowl. Combine the ground wheat, cardamom powder and salt. Cover bowl with a plastic wrap and leave overnight at room temperature.
Preheat oven at 350 F or 180 C.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Take a round mould of 4.5" diameter and line with plastic wrap leaving 2" of wrap overhanging on all sides. Add half a cup of batter in the mould, press to shape bol. Upturn mould onto the prepared sheet by holding the plastic wrap at the sides. Lift mould and carefully remove the plastic wrap. Touch any uneven edges lightly.
Continue the above with rest of the batter and space bols inches apart from each other. Bake for 45 minutes till firm and done.
Cool and store in an airtight container at room temperature for a week. Refrigerate for a longer shelf life.
Note:
(Yields 6 - 735 grams)
Ingredients:
200 ml toddy
300 grams whole wheat
200 grams fresh grated coconut
250 grams Goa palm jaggery
1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder
a pinch of salt
Method:
Clean wheat by removing any small stones and dirt. Wash well, drain water and spread wheat on a cloth to dry, either in the sun or on the kitchen counter. Once dry, it will have a whitish look. Grind wheat in a dry grinder to a coarse powder. Set aside.
Grate or use a knife to cut the jaggery into small pieces. In a blender, grind jaggery with coconut and toddy to a coarse consistency. Ensure that the jaggery is thoroughly ground. Transfer mixture to a bowl. Combine the ground wheat, cardamom powder and salt. Cover bowl with a plastic wrap and leave overnight at room temperature.
Preheat oven at 350 F or 180 C.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Take a round mould of 4.5" diameter and line with plastic wrap leaving 2" of wrap overhanging on all sides. Add half a cup of batter in the mould, press to shape bol. Upturn mould onto the prepared sheet by holding the plastic wrap at the sides. Lift mould and carefully remove the plastic wrap. Touch any uneven edges lightly.
Continue the above with rest of the batter and space bols inches apart from each other. Bake for 45 minutes till firm and done.
Cool and store in an airtight container at room temperature for a week. Refrigerate for a longer shelf life.
Note:
- Wheat took around 4 to 5 hours to dry indoors as the temperature is currently cold in Canada.
- Instead of a round mould, an empty half coconut shell can be used to shape the batter. Line the shell with plastic wrap as indicated above.
- Mould used was from Ikea, Canada, a stainless steel serving bowl, Article No: 300.814.67
- For bigger bols, use 3/4 cup of batter. The yield will be 5 instead of 6.
- If you don't have Goa palm jaggery, use the one available at the Sri Lankan stores called Kithul.
- For recipe on how to make toddy, click here.
See More Goan Traditional Sweets
