37 OBBATTU / OBBATTINA SAARU - 2

Obbattu/Obbattina/Holige Thili Saaru Version II



This is a very famous dish in Karnataka, usually made with the water that is used for cooking dhal for making Obbattu filling called as poornam/Hoorna and also using 2 - 3 balls of the stuffing.

Is usually made on the day of preparation of obbattu or the next day. The curry usually goes well with rice and they say this tastes more good after few reheats, that is it tastes more good a day after its preparation( If you have any leftovers).

I have previously posted a different version of this preparation which I do like my Bassaaru. This one is just like the way I do my Thi saaru. It just tasted too good and even my friends loved this a lot. The other simple is to make it just like rasam preparation, instead od using dhal water can dilute the stuffing with a cup of water and add to your rasam.


The combination of spice, tamarind and jaggery gives this curry a very unique taste which I love a lot.

Onion - 1 small chopped fine
Tomato - 2 small chopped fine
Garlic - 3 flakes sliced thinly or crushed
Tamarind - 1 small lime size
Obbattu stuffing - 2 - 3 balls
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Red Chillies - 2 broken into halves
Hing/Asafoetida- 2 pinch
Curry leaves - few
Mustard seeds and urad dhal - 1/4 tsp each
Coriander leaves - few chopped
Salt as needed
Thili saaru powder - 2 tsp
( I usually use home made thili saaru powder, will post the recipe when I make them fresh again as an alternate can use MTR Brands Rasam powder or if not regular sambar powder)

Soak tamarind in a cup of water for 20 mts and extract a dilute pulp.


Heat ghee in a pan and add mustard seeds, urad dhal, hing, red chillies and curry leaves. Wait for few seconds and add chopped onions. Fry till transculent. Add garlic and saute for a minute. Next add tomatoes and fry till the skin peels out. No need to cook till they are mashed. Just fry till a part of the skin comes out. Next add tamarind pulp and also another 1 - 2 cups of water. Reduce flame and cook till they are frothy. Now add in the stuffing and mix well so they do not have any lumps. Add salt and saaru powder. Cook together for 4 - 5 mts. Remove and garnish with some coriander leaves.
Serve with hot rice.