Bobbatlu Recipe | Holige | Obbattu

If you are a fan of the famous stuffed sweet flatbread Puran Poli of Maharashtra, then you must not miss trying this Bobbatlu Recipe too – a similar delicacy from the South Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. While this name is how it is known as in various regions of Andhra, it is also popular as the Obbattu Recipe or Holige Recipe in Karnataka. This delicious South Indian style flatbread is stuffed with a sweet, cardamom scented filling made of chana dal or tuvar dal. It is common during festivals like Ugadi, Ganesh Chaturthi and Gudi Padwa. Also, a favorite Diwali Sweet too.

About Bobbatlu Recipe

As I mentioned in the beginning, since these yummy sweet flatbreads majorly belong to cuisines of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.

So it is the Bobbatlu Recipe in Telugu language while Obbattu Recipe and Holige Recipe is what is commonly referred to in Kannada language. A similar variation becomes the Puran Poli of Maharashtrian cuisine.

For the Bobbatlu Recipe, usually all-purpose flour or maida is used to make the outer covering. This results in a thinner flatbread.

Although in this Obbattu Recipe, I have used half-half of both all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour (atta). Also, this Holige Recipe is different from this Puran Poli recipe that I have shared on my blog.

Other ingredients that I add for the dough of the Bobbatlu Recipe are oil or ghee, turmeric powder, salt and water.

The turmeric is what imparts a prominent yellow hue to this Holige Recipe. If you are not that fond of it, then you can give it a miss too. But then this Obbattu Recipe won’t be an authentic one.

For the stuffing of this classic South Indian sweet flatbread, I have used split, husked Bengal gram (chana dal), jaggery, cardamom powder and nutmeg powder.

You can even prepare the stuffing with split, husked pigeon pea lentils (tuvar dal) and give the nutmeg a miss, in case you don’t have it at home.

Troubleshooting

One of the best Bobbatlu Recipe is that of my aunt. The first time she visited use is when I got accustomed to her Obbattu Recipe. She had made lovely, decadent flatbreads and her Holige Recipe is what I follow till today.

She had also shared her knowledge on the know-how to make the most perfectly delish South Indian sweet flatbreads. Here are some of those for you to refer:

• The dough has to be kneaded very well. It should be like elastic and soft.
• For rolling, use finely ground rice flour as it helps in rolling evenly and thin, without breaking the flatbreads.
• Some cream of wheat (rava or suji) can be added to the dough.
• The more oil in the dough, the better is the texture of the dough.
• Chana dal has to be cooked well and ground well. If there are specks of whole chana dal in the ground stuffing, then the flatbreads can break while rolling.
• If the chana dal is slightly under cooked, then the jaggery becomes hard when the mixture is cooked.
• Do not overcook or brown the flatbreads too much, as then they become dense and hard.
• According to my aunt, it is best to have puran yantra. If you do not have puran yantra, then the next best option is a mixer or grinder. If you make these flatbreads often, then consider buying a puran yantra.

Like I said earlier, this recipe gives you tastiest flatbreads. Also, preparing these typical South Indian flatbreads does take a lot of time. So, do plan and organize your time and activities before making them.

How to make Bobbatlu Recipe

Make Dough

1. In a sieve, take 1 cup whole wheat flour, 1 cup all-purpose flour (maida), ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder and ½ teaspoon salt.

2. Sift and keep aside.

3. Add about ⅓ cup water.

4. Knead lightly. Add water as required while kneading.

5. Next, add 5 tablespoons oil and continue to knead.

6. Knead till all the oil is absorbed. Basically, you will have to knead for about 7 to 8 minutes or till all the oil is absorbed and the dough becomes very soft and pliable.

Add more water, if required.

7. The dough should be kneaded very well to get a smooth, soft and elastic texture.

8. Cover and keep aside. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes. You can spread some oil all over the dough also and then cover the bowl.

Cook Lentils

9. While the dough is resting, you can start with the sweet stuffing. Rinse and take 1 cup chana dal (hulled split bengal gram) in a 3 litre stovetop pressure cooker. Also, add 2.5 cups water.

If you want, you can even soak chana dal for an hour. You can also use toor dal (arhar dal, pigeon pea lentils) instead of chana dal.

10. Pressure cook on medium heat for 6 to 7 whistles.

11. When the pressure settles down naturally, open the lid of the cooker and check if the chana dal is cooked well.

Take a few chana dal grains and mash with your fingers. They should get mashed easily. Take care as the lentils will be very hot.

12. Strain the chana dal lentils and let them cool or become warm. 

Use the strained water for making Rasam or Katachi Amti. You can also knead chapathi dough with this water or add it to curries or dals.

Blend Stuffing Ingredients

13. Then, add the cooked chana dal in a mixer or grinder jar.

14. Add 1 cup chopped jaggery, ½ teaspoon green cardamon powder and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg powder.

I have used organic jaggery and hence not dissolved in water and then strained it.

15. Grind or blend to a fine and smooth consistency.

If you are unable to grind, then add 2 to 3 tablespoons or more water as needed. Grind at intervals. Grind, then scrape the jar and grind again.

The entire chana dal mixture should have a smooth texture. No whole or part chana dal should be visible in the mixture.

Otherwise while rolling, the flatbread will break. Make sure to cook the chana dal well.

Cook Stuffing

16. Heat 1 tablespoon ghee in a pan.

17. Add the prepared chana dal-jaggery mixture.

18. On low heat, stirring continuously, cook the mixture till it starts to leave the edges of the pan.

19. Then, turn off the heat and set aside. Let the stuffing mixture cool down.

20. Make medium sized balls from the mixture and keep aside. Cover them so that they do not dry out.

Assemble, Stuff and Shape

21. Pinch a medium sized ball from the dough. Roll to a neat ball.

22. Gently flatten it with your fingers. You can also use the rolling pin and flatten it.

23. Place the chana dal stuffing ball in the flattened dough.

24. Then, begin to bring the edges together.

25. Press the edges at the center.

26. Then, flatten the center and gently roll the stuffed dough ball between your palms. To see the method of stuffing and sealing, do check the video embedded above.

27. Stuff the dough balls this way and keep covered with a kitchen napkin, so that they do not dry out.

Roll Bobbatlu

28. Place the stuffed dough ball on rolling board and sprinkle some rice flour. Instead of rice flour, you can also use all-purpose flour for this Obbattu Recipe.

29. Gently roll to a large Holige. Add rice flour as required while rolling.

Cook Obbattu

30. Heat a tawa or flat skillet. Sprinkle some flour on the tawa and it should get golden (wipe off this flour). Then, gently place the Obbattu on the tawa.

31. Roast the flatbread till one side is golden and then gently flip. If the stuffing and rolling is done well, the flatbread will puff up as you see in the photo below.

32. Spread some ghee or oil on this second side. You can skip adding ghee or oil in this Holige Recipe, if you prefer.

33. Flip again and roast the second side of the flatbread till golden.

34. Spread some ghee or oil on this top side too that is facing you.

35. Fold and serve Bobbatlu with milk or ghee by the side, or have them plain. Or you can just lift and place them in a roti basket, so that they remain warm. 

Expert Tips

1. Make sure you are kneading a soft, smooth and elastic dough for this recipe. You have to spend some time kneading the dough very well. Do not be in a hurry.
2. For the stuffing in this recipe, you can either use chana dal or tuvar dal (arhar dal). Basically use whatever lentils you prefer.
3. Drain the water very well from the cooked lentils. Waterlogged lentils will make the filling mixture mushy and moist.
4. You can even add some freshly and finely grated coconut in the stuffing.
5. Sugar can also be used as a sweetener for the stuffing, instead of jaggery. Other alternatives are palm jaggery and coconut sugar.
6. While rolling, you can either use rice flour or all-purpose flour.
7. To roast these flatbreads, you can either use oil or ghee (clarified butter), or just roast without any fat too.

Bobbatlu recipe from the archives was first published on March 2017.