Bakshalu, or Obatta, also known as Holige and Pooran Poli, is a beloved dessert in many parts of India. It is made with flour, chana dal, and jaggery. These three simple ingredients are enough for the culmination of Bakshalu, a sweet dish that binds tradition and nutrition with deliciousness.
Would you like to know how to make Bakshalu with jaggery? It’s such a simple dish, yet it is an integral part of Indian culture in a way we cannot fathom. From acting like an immunity booster to being a good source of protein, vitamins, minerals, and fibre, it has nothing but goodness filled inside it.
Let’s see how to make Bakshalu with jaggery, and after that, we will also cover the variations of this dish in the forms of Bobattalu, Holige, and Pooran Poli later in this blog.
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Bakshalu: A Traditional Recipe of Great Flavours Clubbed With Nutrition
Bakshalu is primarily a dish from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and has been made for Ugadi, Ganesh Chaturthi, Navratri, and other festivals. It represents happiness, health, and prosperity in life.
It is a stuffed bread, or paratha. The stuffing is called Poornam and is made by cooking chana dal and jaggery together until they reduce to a fine paste. There’s no quick way to make Bakshalu, but blenders and pressure cookers have reduced their cooking time a little. Still, it’s better to organise your time before you jump into preparing the yummiest Bakshalu using this recipe.
The recipe shared here is an authentic Bakshalu recipe taken from ‘My Curry Veda’
Ingredients To Make Bakshalu With Jaggery
Here are the ingredients you need for the traditional Bakshalu:
- Organic jaggery (crushed or powdered)
- Chana dal, or Bengal gram, 1 cup
- Cardamom
- Turmeric
- Organic whole wheat flour, 1 cup
- Salt
- Organic ghee
- Water
Steps to Prepare Bakshalu
Soak the bengal gram or chana dal for 30 to 40 minutes or overnight.
Preparing the dough
- Take whole wheat flour, a spoonful of ghee, and a pinch of salt and mix them well by rubbing the mixture between your palms. Once the ghee has spread evenly, gradually add water and knead a soft dough.
- The key to making fluffy Bakshalu is a well-kneaded dough.
- Cover the dough with a wet cloth or a lid and let it rest.
Preparation of the Poornam or Bakshalu Stuffing
- Rinse and strain the soaked chana dal and transfer it to a pressure cooker. Add water and cook it well for 5 whistles.
- Then, strain the chana dal and let it cool.
- Transfer the cooked chana dal into a blender jar. Add jaggery and cardamom, and blend it into a fine paste. Use water in between pulses to get a smooth stuffing/poornam.
- Now, take a heavy-bottomed skillet or pan and add ghee. Let it heat, and then transfer the poornam and cook it till it becomes dense and starts to hold its shape.
- The stuffing sticks easily, so stir it continuously.
- Switch off the flame and let the stuffing cool down.
Rolling the Bakshalu
- Take the dough and knead it gently one more time. Now, take a small portion of it and spread it using your fingers.
- Take a small portion of stuffing and keep it in the centre of the dough.
- Cover the stuffing with the dough by bringing the edges closer (Just like you would do for making any stuffed paratha.)
- Now, dust some finely powdered rice flour or refined flour on the rolling board and start rolling the stuffed ball of Bakshalu.
- Roll the Bakshalu as thinly as possible.
- Then, heat the tava and roast the Bakshalu. Use ghee on both sides and gently press the edges to make them fluff up and cook well.
- Serve the hot Bakshalu with a drizzle of ghee or a side of your choice.
That was the recipe for Bakshalu. Now, this dish has travelled through many regions and has been tweaked quite a number of times. That means more variations for you to try and find the best Bakshalu recipe for you..
Alright then, let’s quickly see how to make Bakshalu with jaggery in the Maharashtrian style known as Pooran Poli and the Karnataka version known as Holige, with variations of coconut and spices.
Pooran Poli: A Maharashtrian Tweak to The Traditional Bakshalu
Pooran Poli is fondly consumed in Maharashtra. It is not just made during festivities but on any celebratory occasion. Why wait for festivals to enjoy this delicacy?
The Pooran Poli recipe is not different from the traditional Bakshalu recipe shared above. The whole process is the same, except for the spices. Pooran poli is made with chana dal, jaggery, whole wheat, and spices like dry ginger powder, cardamom, nutmeg powder, and some crushed fennel.
The spices are added at the time of sautéing the mixture of chana dal and jaggery in ghee. After that, once the mixture cools down, it is stuffed in the dough and rolled into thin parathas.
Then, the paratha is cooked on a hot tava using ghee until it turns golden brown. Now your Pooran Poli is ready to eat!
You can serve Pooran poli with unsweetened curd or yoghurt or with some ghee.
Alright, in the next variation, you will learn how to make Bakshalu with jaggery and coconut and with a hint of Karnataka and Kerala in it.
Bobatlu, Holige, or Obattu: Karnataka and Kerala’s Take on Bakshalu
What comes to mind when you think about Kerala and Karnataka? Was it Coconut? Well, you are right!
When this traditional recipe of Bakshalu arrived in these parts, it couldn't stay far from coconuts. As a result, you get to taste a more nutritious version of Bakshalu. Again, the traditional recipe is the same as shared above.
Let’s quickly see when and how to add coconuts to the recipe.
First thing, if you manage to find fresh coconuts, good for you! Crush them or cut them into small cubes beforehand. Otherwise, you can use the readily available crushed coconut powder too.
Definitely, the one with fresh coconut will taste better. But the powdered coconut will taste good too.
Coconut cubes or crushed coconut powder will be blended with chana dal and jaggery into a smooth paste. The remaining steps remain exactly the same as those shared in the Bakshalu recipe. That is, the paste is sauteed in ghee until it's cooked, then stuffed and rolled into parathas.
Alright, now that you know the 3 ways to make Bakshalu with jaggery, coconut, and spices, we have some tips for you to ease up the process a little.
Tips for Making the Best Bakshalu/ Pooran Poli/ Holige/ Obattu
These tips are from home-chef Dassana, the author behind the famous cooking blog ‘Veg Recipes of India.’ So, rest assured that they work and will help you get the best results.
- Take your time and knead the dough really well.
- The more ghee in the dough, the better. Ghee in the dough gives a melt-in-the-mouth feel to Bakshalu.
- Make sure the chana dal is cooked well. The jaggery becomes hard in undercooked chana dal and spoils the texture of the stuffing.
- Also, the stuffing shouldn’t have any lumps; otherwise, the dough will break while rolling.
- Do not cook the Bakshalu or Pooran Poli for too long.
FAQS: How to Make Bakshalu with Jaggery
What is the difference between Holige and Obbattu?
Holige and Obattu are different names for Bakshalu and Puran Poli. One key difference between them is the use of coconut in Holige, while there’s no coconut in Obattu.
What is Puran Poli called in Karnataka?
Puran Poli is called Obattu in Karnataka and Bobbatlu or Holige in Andhra Pradesh.
Which state is famous for Puran Poli?
Maharashtra is known for its Puran Poli, a sweet delicacy made during Makar Sankranti and Ganesh Chaturthi.
Is Holige made of maida?
Holige can be made with both maida and whole wheat flour. It is always advised to use whole wheat for additional health benefits. You can also choose to add a half-and-half ratio of whole wheat to maida. Adding whole wheat to Holige will add more fibre to it, which is essential for a healthy diet.
Is Obbattu good for your health?
Yes, Obattu/Bakshalu/Puran Poli is good for health. It is a good source of protein, vitamins, and minerals, embedded in jaggery and chana dal.
What is frozen puran poli?
Traditional Indian sweet flatbread is called puran poli. It is produced by stuffing a dough made of wheat with a sweet filling that is commonly made of chana dal (split chickpeas), jaggery or sugar, and various spices. The filling is referred to as "puran." Puran Poli that has been prepared, then frozen for preservation, is referred to as frozen Puran Poli. It is convenient for subsequent eating because of this.
Conclusion
This brings an end to our excursion about how to make Bakshalu with jaggery. You must be hungry by now for some hot and soft Bakshalu. Well, you have all the information you need to make scrumptious Bakshalu or Puran Poli.
So, head straight to the market or wait! You can order the best-quality organic ingredients for Bakshalu from Two Brothers Organic Farms. Check out the store and order now.
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