Paniyaram Recipe: South Indian Delightful Rice and Lentil Dumplings

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Paniyaram is a popular South Indian snack made from a fermented rice and lentil batter. These small, round dumplings are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Here’s how to make Paniyaram:

Ingredients:

For the Batter: If you have leftover Idli / Dosa batter, you can use instead of creating a batter

  • 1 cup idli rice or parboiled rice
  • 1/4 cup urad dal (split black gram lentils)
  • 1/4 cup chana dal (split chickpea lentils)
  • 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi seeds)
  • Salt to taste
  • Water, as needed

For Tempering:

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped onions
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped green chilies (adjust to taste)
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped curry leaves
  • 1/4 cup grated coconut (fresh or frozen)
  • A pinch of asafoetida (hing)

Instructions:

1. Preparing the Batter:

  1. Rinse the rice, urad dal, chana dal, and fenugreek seeds together under cold running water until the water runs clear.
  2. Soak them together in enough water for about 4-6 hours.
  3. Drain the soaked ingredients and transfer them to a blender or wet grinder.
  4. Add a little water and grind into a smooth batter. The consistency should be similar to dosa batter. Add salt to taste and mix well.
  5. Allow the batter to ferment in a warm place for 8-10 hours or overnight. It should rise and become slightly airy.

2. Preparing the Tempering:

  1. In a small pan, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium heat.
  2. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Let them splutter.
  3. Add finely chopped onions and sauté until they turn translucent.
  4. Stir in finely chopped green chilies and curry leaves. Sauté for a few minutes until the chilies become slightly crisp.
  5. Add grated coconut and asafoetida (hing). Sauté for another minute. Remove from heat.
hettinad or chettinadu kuzhi paniyaram alongside an appe pan
hettinad or chettinadu kuzhi paniyaram alongside an appe pan

3. Making Paniyaram:

  1. Heat a Paniyaram pan (appe pan) over medium-low heat and grease the cavities with a little oil.
  2. Pour a spoonful of the fermented batter into each cavity, filling them to about 3/4 full.
  3. Spoon a small amount of the prepared tempering mixture over each batter-filled cavity.
  4. Cover the pan with a lid and let the Paniyaram cook for about 3-4 minutes on one side or until the bottom turns golden brown and crispy.
  5. Gently flip each Paniyaram using a wooden skewer or spoon.
  6. Cover and cook for another 3-4 minutes on the other side until they are uniformly browned and crispy.

4. Serving Paniyaram:

  1. Remove the Paniyaram from the pan and drain any excess oil on a paper towel.
  2. Serve hot with coconut chutney, tomato chutney, or sambar.

Tips:

  • The fermentation time for the batter can vary depending on the weather. In colder climates, it may take longer.
  • You can add grated carrots, finely chopped spinach, or other vegetables to the batter for variation.
  • Adjust the spiciness to your taste by varying the amount of green chilies.

Paniyaram is a delightful South Indian snack that’s perfect for breakfast or as a tea-time treat. Enjoy its crispy exterior and soft interior along with your favourite chutney or sambar!

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