First of all let me wish every one a very Happy Ugadi and Gudi Padwa. Ugadi- A time where one starts the day by eating bevu bella (the concoction of neem and jaggery). A time where the Panchanga (hindu calender) is worshiped and read. A time for new clothes and new beginnings. Ugadi is also the time for bele Obattu or holige.
Obattu or holige or puran poli is a sweet bread that is made during the festival of ugadi. Holige is basically a sweet bread that is filled with a mixture of lentils, jaggery, coconut and spices. They say that the perfect preparation of obattu is a highly skilled task. It is more of an art actually. But believe me, all it takes is a little bit of patience to perfect this "art"
There are different versions of obattu or puran poli recipe. There is a version which uses the channa dal as the stuffing and there is also this version where Toor or pigeon peas in the stuffing. It's unique flavour and characteristic aroma can be attributed to the special spices used.
Holige or obattu recipe:
Preparation time: 1 hr+ soaking time
Cooking time: 1hr
Makes- 15-20 obattu
Ingredients:
For the Kanaka or the outer covering:
All purpose flour- 1-1/4 cup + extra for dusting
Very fine Semolina or chiroti rava- 1-1/4 cup
Salt- a pinch
Turmeric- a pinch
Ghee- 1tbsp
Oil for soaking- 1/2 cup
For the hoorna or the filling
Toor dal or pigeon peas- 2 cups
Jaggery- 1-1/4 cups
Freshly grated Coconut- 1/2 cup
Cardamom- 6, finely powdered
Nutmeg powder- A pinch (optional, but recommended)
Ghee- 1 tsp
Turmeric- A pinch
Ghee or oil for roasting the obattu
Method:
- In a large bowl, mix the flour, semolina, turmeric, salt and ghee and mix well. Add water gradually and make a soft dough. Knead well and soak the dough in oil for at least 3 hrs.
For the filling:
- In a vessel, mix the toor dal along with the turmeric and ghee and Pressure cook in 3 cups of water for 4-5 whistles.
- After the dal is cooked, mash the dal to a fine paste using a potato mash. Add the jaggery and the coconut and mix well.
- Transfer the contents to a heavy bottomed vessel and cook the mixture on a low heat mixing well.
- Keep mixing till the mixture thickens and a big lump is formed. Take off the heat and cool the stuffing mixture completely.
To proceed:
- Take a small lime sized ball of the covering and spread it on your palm. Place a golf ball sized stuffing mixture in the center and cover the stuffing completely with the dough. Seal it well and press slightly.
- Dust the holige and the working surface with some flour and roll it into a circle of 6" in diameter.
- Heat a girdle or tava and place the rolled holige on it. Cook on both sides till golden spots appear and drizzle some ghee or oil.
- Repeat with the remaining dough and filling and serve warm with ghee and milk.
Note: If the rolling the dough becomes difficult, then you can tie a cloth to the rolling board and dust with some flour to facilitate easy rolling
The quantity of jaggery can be increased to 1-1/2 cups if you prefer the holige a little sweeter than mine.
This festive bread is my contribution to My legume love affair-45 which is created by susan and being hosted by Heather of girlchef.com
and to only South Indian event host by Pari.
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happy ugadi to you and your family :) drooling over the holige :)