Holige

Holige

Holige

Veg

Sweet stuffed flatbread — a thin, paper-like outer shell of maida (or wheat flour) dough mixed with turmeric and a small amount of coconut oil, rolled to extreme thinness, filled with a firmly cooked stuffing of toor dal or chana dal cooked with jaggery, cardamom, and sometimes coconut until the mixture dries to a workable paste (obbattu puran), and sealed into a flat parcel that is pan-cooked in generous ghee on both sides until golden with small blistered spots. The holige is the Karnataka equivalent of Andhra's bobbattu and Maharashtra's puran poli; the Udupi version uses coconut oil in the dough and is distinctly more fragrant with cardamom. Eaten warm with ghee poured over the surface; at festive meals a large holige with a tumbler of milk or coconut milk is the traditional finish. Made for every Udupi festival and religious occasion.

Cuisines

Mangalorean Udupi Coorgi Mysore Saraswat North Karnataka

Best for

Breakfast Snacks

Recipe

Prep: 60 min Cook: 40 min Total: 100 min 2-3 servings

Ingredients

1 cup chana dal
1 cup jaggery
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder
2 tablespoons ghee
1/4 teaspoon salt
as needed water
as needed oil for cooking

Instructions

  1. 1 Wash the chana dal thoroughly and soak it in water for 1 hour.
  2. 2 Drain the water and pressure cook the chana dal with enough water until soft, about 3-4 whistles.
  3. 3 Drain any excess water from the cooked dal and mash it well.
  4. 4 In a pan, add the mashed dal and jaggery. Cook on medium heat until the mixture thickens and leaves the sides of the pan.
  5. 5 Add cardamom powder to the mixture, mix well, and let it cool. This is the filling or 'hoorna'.
  6. 6 In a bowl, mix all-purpose flour, turmeric powder, salt, and ghee. Gradually add water to form a soft dough.
  7. 7 Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rest for 30 minutes.
  8. 8 Divide the dough and the filling into equal portions.
  9. 9 Roll out a portion of the dough into a small circle. Place a portion of the filling in the center, fold the edges over, and seal.
  10. 10 Gently roll out the stuffed dough into a thin circle, being careful not to let the filling spill out.
  11. 11 Heat a tawa or griddle over medium heat. Cook the holige on both sides, applying a little oil, until golden brown.
  12. 12 Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
  13. 13 Serve warm with a dollop of ghee or as is.

Tips

Ensure the filling is not too moist to prevent it from leaking while rolling the holige.