Bobbatlu Recipe | Holige | Obbattu

Making dough

1. In a sieve, take the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, turmeric powder and salt.
2. Sift and set aside.
3. Add about ⅓ cup water and knead lightly. Do add water as required.
4. Then add 5 tablespoons oil and continue to knead.
5. 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 needed.
6. The obbattu dough should be kneaded very well to get a smooth, soft and elastic texture.
7. Cover and keep aside. Let dough rest for 30 minutes.

Making obbattu stuffing

1. Rinse a few times in water and then take the chana dal in a 3 litre stovetop pressure cooker. If you want you can even soak chana dal in water for 1 hour.
2. Next add 2.5 cups water. Pressure cook for 6 to 7 whistles on medium heat.
3. When the pressure drops naturally in the cooker, then only open the lid of the cooker and check if the chana dal is cooked well.
4. Take a few lentils and mash it with your fingers. They should get mashed easily. Do take care as the lentils will be very hot.
5. Strain the chana dal very well and let the lentils cool or become warm.
6. Then add the chana dal in a blender or grinder jar.
7. Add the chopped jaggery, green cardamon powder and nutmeg powder or grated nutmeg.
8. Grind or blend to a smooth and fine consistency. If you are unable to grind, then you can add 2 to 3 tablespoons or more water. Grind at intervals.
9. Grind, then scrape the jar and grind again. The entire chana dal mixture should have a fine and smooth texture. No chana dal should be visible in the stuffing. Otherwise while rolling, the obbattu breaks. So do make sure to cook the chana dal well.
10. Next heat 1 tablespoon ghee in a pan.
11. Add the ground chana dal and jaggery mixture.
12. On a low heat stirring non-stop cook the mixture till it starts to leave the edges of the pan.
13. Then turn off the heat and keep aside. Let the stuffing mixture cool down.
14. Make medium sized balls from the mixture and set aside. Cover them so that they do not dry out.

Stuffing and rolling obbattu or bobbatlu

1. Pinch a medium sized ball from the dough. Gently flatten it with your fingers. You can also use the rolling pin and flatten it.
2. Place the chana dal stuffing ball in the flattened dough.
3. Bring together the edges and press them at the center.
4. 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 at the top of the page. Stuff the dough balls this way and keep covered with a kitchen napkin, so that they do not dry out.
5. 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 dusting.
6. Gently roll to a large obbattu. Add flour as required while rolling.

Cooking obbattu or bobbatlu or holige

1. Heat a flat skillet or tawa. Sprinkle some flour on the tawa and it should get golden (wipe off this flour). Then gently place the obbattu on the tawa.
2. Roast till one side is golden and then flip.
3. Spread some ghee or oil on this roasted side. You can skip adding ghee or oil if you like.
4. Flip again and roast the second side till golden.
5. Spread some ghee or oil on this second side too.
6. If needed for even roasting and cooking, you can flip a few times.
7. Fold and then serve obbattu. Or you can just lift them and place them in a roti basket, so that the obbattu remain warm.
8. Serve Bobbatlu or Obbattu with milk or ghee by side. Or you can just have them as is.