Holige / Obbattu / Bobbatlu / Puran Poli

A festival staple in our family for generations, it is the king of all sweets that single-handedly blows all other sweets out of the water, at least for us. As far as festival food is concerned in our house, this is as good as it gets. I learned to make these from my mom, as she did from hers, and I hope both my girls learn it from me and pass it on to their kids.

The cook time and amount of water required depends on the quality and type of toor dal used. I avoid using toor dal that are thick and shiny, since those are harder and require significantly longer cooking times. I use jaggery that comes in large, roughly oval or irregular shaped pieces rather than the ones that are rectangular and come out of molds. Very fine sooji requires more kneading and rest-time compared to maida. So, choose accordingly.

 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups maida/very fine sooji/half of each

1 cup toor dal/split pigeon peas

1 cup jaggery (mashed into small pieces)

1 tsp cardamom/elaichi powder

A pinch of dry ginger powder

2-3 tbsp white poppy seeds

Oil, as needed

Preparation:

1. The ratio of toor dal, jaggery and maida/very fine sooji is 1:1:1. But, I add 1 1/2 cups maida/sooji, because if there is any leftover dough, it can be made into poori.
2. For 1 cup maida/very fine sooji, add 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup water and knead until smooth. Add 3-4 tbsp oil and knead again. Let rest for several hours or overnight. (Important step: The longer the dough rests, the easier it will be to handle.)
3. Wash toor dal in a large steel/aluminum pan 3-4 times or until the water runs clear. Add approx. 7 cups water for every 1 cup of toor dal and let boil. When boiling, skim the froth as it rises to the top. Cook on medium heat until the dal is tender but not mushy. (Important step: The toor dal should still be in individual pieces, but completely cooked through.)
4. Immediately drain all the water into a large bowl. (Important step: Use a lid on top of the pan and drain the water completely and thoroughly.) Save the drained water to make rasam. Put the pan back on medium-low heat and stir for a minute or two until any remaining water evaporates from the cooked dal. 
5. Add mashed jaggery pieces to the toor dal and continue mixing on medium-low heat until the jaggery melts. Turn off the heat and add the cardamom powder and dry ginger powder. Set aside uncovered until it is lukewarm.
6. Add the toor dal-jaggery mixture to a food processor or wet grinder and grind to a smooth paste. Set aside, covered until ready to use.
7. Cut a square piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil large enough to cover the skillet being used, or use a Poli making paper (specifically sold for making poli). Place the foil on a large cutting board or the kitchen countertop.
8. Fill a medium bowl with oil, place a spoon, and set aside. Pour 2-3 tbsp of white poppy seeds in a small plate/shallow dish.
9. Apply some oil to your palm and knead the rested dough once again. If the dough was refrigerated overnight, remove it at least an hour before handling to take the chill off. (Important step: When pulled, the dough should stretch without bouncing back. If it does, keep kneading. The dough should also not stick to your oily hands. If it does, add some more oil and keep kneading until it no longer sticks.)
10. Heat a large non-stick skillet on medium-low heat.
11. Apply oil to both palms, pull apart a ping-pong sized ball of dough and roll it between your two palms. Place it in the center of your left palm and with your right hand stretch the dough until it completely covers your left palm.
12. Scoop 1/4 cup of poli filling into the center of this stretched dough using your hand or a 1/4 cup ice-cream scoop. Close it from all sides and seal the opening. Pat it into a small disc in your hands and apply some white poppy seeds on both sides of the disc. Pour 1 tsp oil in the center of the aluminum foil/poli paper, place the disc seam side down on the oil, pour another tsp of oil on top of the disc, and carefully roll it with a rolling pin until it reaches the size of a chapathi. Add a few more drops of oil on top.
13. Carefully invert the foil onto the hot skillet and help the poli pull away from the foil using your  finger tips as you slowly lift the foil off the skillet with your other hand.
14. Heat both sides until golden brown and cooked through. Turn only once per side to keep them soft. Serve piping hot with melted ghee.