bobbatlu recipe | obbattu recipe | holige recipe

Bobbatlu recipe with step by step photos and video – bobbatlu or obbattu or Holige is one of the sweets that is made during festivals like Ugadi, Ganesh Chaturthi and Gudi Padwa. these are delicious flat breads stuffed with the sweet aromatic stuffing of chana dal or toor dal.

In telugu language, these flat breads are known as bobbatlu or bobbatu. In kannada language, they are called Holige or obbattu. In marathi language these are called as puran poli.

Generally maida (all purpose flour) is used to make the outer covering, which helps in making thin bobbatlu or puran poli. In this recipe I have used half-half of all purpose flour (maida) and whole wheat flour. This recipe is different from the Puran poli recipe i had shared earlier.

One of the best bobbatlu is made by my aunt. When she had visited us, she had made bobbatlu for us and also gave me many tips. Some of her tips I am mentioning below:

Tips for making best bobbatlu or Holige recipe

1. The dough has to be kneaded very well. It should be like elastic.
2. For rolling use rice flour as it helps in rolling evenly and thin without breaking the bobbatlu.
3. Some sooji (rava) can be added to the dough.
4. The more oil in the dough, the better is the texture of the bobbatlu dough.
5. Chana dal has to be cooked well and ground well. If there are specks of chana dal in the ground stuffing, then the bobbatlu can break while rolling.
6. Instead of chana dal, you can also use tuvar dal.
7. Also if the chana dal are slightly under cooked, then the jaggery becomes hard when the mixture is cooked.
8. Do not over cook or brown the bobbatlu too much as then they become dense and hard.
9. According to my aunt, its best to have puran yantra. If you do not have puran yantra, then the next best option is a grinder. If you make bobbatlu often, then consider buying a puran yantra.

This recipe gives you one of the best bobbatlu. Also do note that preparing bobbatlu take a lot of time. So do plan and organize your time and activities before making them.

How to make Holige or obbattu or bobbatlu recipe

A) preparing outer dough for bobbatlu

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. Do add water as required.

5. Then 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 till all the oil is absorbed and the dough becomes very soft and pliable. Do add more water if required.

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

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

Making sweet stuffing for obbattu or bobbatlu

1. When the dough is resting, you can start with the bobbatlu stuffing. rinse and then take 1 cup chana dal in a pressure cooker. If you want you can even soak chana dal for an hour. Also add 2.5 cups water. You can also use toor dal (arhar dal, pigeon pea lentils) instead of chana dal.

2. pressure cook for 6 to 7 whistles on medium flame.

3. when the pressure settles down, open the lid of the cooker and check if the chana dal is cooked well. Take a few chana dals and mash it with your fingers. They should get mashed easily. Do take care as the dal is very hot.

4. Strain the chana dal and let it cool or become warm. use the strained water for making Rasam or Katachi amti. you can also knead atta with this water or add it to gravies or dals.

5. Then add the chana dal in a grinder jar.

6. Add 1 cup jaggery. I have used organic jaggery and hence not dissolved in water and then strained it. add ½ teaspoon cardamon powder and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg powder.

7. grind to a smooth consistency. If you are unable to grind, then you can add 2 to 3 tablespoons or more water. 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 ground mixture. Otherwise while rolling, the bobbatlu breaks. So do make sure to cook the chana dal well.

8. Heat 1 tablespoon ghee in a pan.

9. Add the ground chana dal+jaggery mixture.

10. On a low flame stirring non stop, cook the mixture till it starts to leave the edges of the pan.

11. Then switch off the flame and keep aside. Let the stuffing mixture cool down.

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

Stuffing and rolling obbattu or Holige

1. Pinch a medium sized ball from the dough.

2. Gently flatten it with your fingers. You can also use the rolling pin (belan) and flatten it.

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

4. Then start bring together the edges.

5. Press the edges at the center.

6. 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.

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

8. place the stuffed dough ball on rolling board and sprinkle some rice flour. Instead of rice flour you can also use all purpose flour.

9. Gently roll to a large bobbatlu. Add rice flour as required while rolling.

Cooking bobbatlu or Holige

1. Heat a tawa. Sprinkle some flour on the tawa and it should get golden (wipe off this flour). Then gently place the bobbatlu or Holige on the tawa.

2. Roast the Holige till one side is golden and then flip.

3. Spread some ghee or oil on this side. You can skip adding ghee or oil if you want.

4. Flip again and roast the second side of Holige till golden.

5. Spread some ghee or oil on this side too.

6. Fold and then serve bobbatlu. Or you can just lift them and place them in a roti basket, so that the bobbatlu remain warm. Serve bobbatlu or Holige with milk or ghee by side. Or you can just have them plain.

If you are looking for more Diwali sweets then do check:

• Mysore pak
• 7 cup burfi
• Coconut ladoo
• Rava kesari
• Poornam boorelu

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