RAG Demo

Tag: Easy to make

  • Vangi Bath

    Vangi bath, brinjal rice, is one of the classic chitranna-style mixed rices of Karnataka, served in Bengaluru and Mysuru homes and in Udupi restaurants. It uses small purple or green brinjals cooked with a special masala of roasted chana dal, urad dal, coriander, red chillies, cinnamon, cloves and dry coconut, and then mixed with cooked rice.

    Each grain is coated in a reddish-brown masala, with soft brinjal pieces throughout. The flavour is warm and slightly tangy, with sweetness from jaggery and crunch from peanuts or cashews. It is popular as a lunchbox meal and as a light weekend lunch with raita. It also packs well for picnics and train journeys because it tastes good at room temperature.

    At a glance

    RegionKarnataka
    CuisineKannada
    DietVegan
    CourseRice
    Prep time20 minutes
    Cook time25 minutes
    Total time45 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsrice / brinjal / tamarind / dry coconut / peanuts

    Ingredients

    For the vangi bath powder

    • 1 tbsp chana dal
    • 1 tbsp urad dal
    • 2 tbsp coriander seeds
    • 6 Byadgi chillies
    • 1 inch cinnamon
    • 3 cloves
    • 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
    • 2 tbsp dry coconut (kopra), grated

    For the bath

    • 3 cups cooked rice, cooled
    • 250 g small brinjals, cut into thin strips
    • 3 tbsp oil
    • 1 tsp mustard seeds
    • 1 tsp chana dal
    • 1 tsp urad dal
    • 2 tbsp peanuts
    • 1 sprig curry leaves
    • 1/4 tsp asafoetida
    • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1 tbsp thick tamarind paste
    • 1 tsp grated jaggery
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

    Method

    1. Dry roast the chana dal, urad dal, coriander, chillies, cinnamon, cloves and fenugreek on low heat for 4-5 minutes until golden and fragrant. Add the coconut and roast 1 minute more. Cool and grind to a fine powder.
    2. Keep the cut brinjals in salted water until needed so they do not discolour, then drain.
    3. Heat oil in a wide kadai. Fry the peanuts until crunchy, then add mustard seeds. When they splutter add chana dal and urad dal and fry until golden. Add curry leaves, asafoetida and turmeric.
    4. Add the brinjals and salt and toss. Cover and cook on medium-low heat for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the brinjals are soft but not mushy.
    5. Add the tamarind paste and jaggery and cook for 2 minutes until the raw smell goes.
    6. Add 2.5 tbsp of the vangi bath powder and stir for 1 minute until the brinjals are coated.
    7. Add the rice and gently fold everything together on low heat for 2 minutes until evenly mixed. Taste and add more powder or salt if needed.
    8. Garnish with coriander and serve warm.

    Tips

    • Use small, tender brinjals with few seeds.
    • Cooked rice should be cool and separate, or the bath turns mushy.
    • A tablespoon of ghee mixed in at the end adds a lovely richness.

    Serve with

    Onion-cucumber raita and papad or potato chips.

  • Maddur Vada

    Maddur vada takes its name from the town of Maddur on the old Bengaluru-Mysuru highway and railway line. According to local lore, a vendor at the railway station improvised it in the early 1900s, and the vadas sold at Maddur Tiffanys and on the platforms became famous with travellers. Unlike the soft urad dal vada, it is made from rice flour, semolina and maida.

    It is flat, crunchy and golden, almost like a thick biscuit, packed with sweet onions, curry leaves, green chillies and ginger. The onions are mixed with hot oil before the water goes in, which keeps the vada crisp. It is a tea-time snack that stays crunchy for hours and travels well.

    At a glance

    RegionKarnataka
    CuisineKannada
    DietVegan
    CourseSnack
    Prep time15 minutes
    Cook time25 minutes
    Total time40 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeNo
    Key ingredientsrice flour / semolina / maida / onion / curry leaves

    Ingredients

    • 1/2 cup rice flour
    • 1/4 cup fine rava (semolina)
    • 1/4 cup maida
    • 2 medium onions, finely sliced
    • 2 green chillies, finely chopped
    • 1 inch ginger, finely chopped
    • 1 sprig curry leaves, chopped
    • 3 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
    • 1/4 tsp asafoetida
    • 3/4 tsp salt
    • 2 tbsp hot oil
    • about 1/4 cup water
    • oil for deep frying

    Method

    1. In a bowl, mix the onions, chillies, ginger, curry leaves, coriander, asafoetida and salt. Squeeze with your hands for a minute so the onions soften slightly.
    2. Add the rice flour, rava and maida and mix.
    3. Pour 2 tbsp very hot oil over the mixture and rub it in with a spoon, then your fingers. This is what makes the vadas crisp.
    4. Sprinkle water a little at a time and knead to a firm, non-sticky dough. The onions add moisture, so you need very little water.
    5. Heat oil for deep frying on medium heat. A small piece of dough should rise steadily, not instantly.
    6. Take a lemon-sized ball, place it on a greased plastic sheet or banana leaf, and pat it into a flat disc about 8 cm across and 5 mm thick.
    7. Slide the vadas into the oil one by one and fry on medium heat for 3-4 minutes per side until deep golden and crisp, turning once.
    8. Drain on a rack and serve hot or at room temperature.

    Tips

    • Fry on medium heat; on high heat they brown before they crisp through.
    • Keep the dough firm; a soft dough makes oily vadas.
    • Stored airtight, they stay crisp for a day.

    Serve with

    Coconut chutney and filter coffee or masala tea.

  • Erissery

    Erissery is a thick pumpkin curry from the Kerala sadya, made especially at Onam and Vishu. The name is often linked to eriv, meaning heat, a nod to its pepper and chilli, though it is not a very spicy dish. Ripe yellow pumpkin is the usual vegetable, sometimes combined with raw banana or yam, cooked with red cowpeas.

    What makes erissery special is the final topping of grated coconut fried in coconut oil with mustard seeds and curry leaves until deep brown. That roasted coconut adds crunch and a toasty aroma to the soft, sweet, partly mashed pumpkin. It is thick enough to scoop and is eaten with rice in the middle of the meal.

    At a glance

    RegionKerala
    CuisineKerala
    DietVegan
    CourseSide dish
    Prep time15 minutes
    Cook time30 minutes
    Total time45 minutes
    Serves5
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsyellow pumpkin / red cowpeas / coconut / cumin / coconut oil

    Ingredients

    For the curry

    • 1/2 cup red cowpeas, soaked overnight
    • 500 g ripe yellow pumpkin, cut into 2 cm cubes
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
    • 1 tsp salt

    For the coconut paste

    • 3/4 cup grated coconut
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 2 garlic cloves
    • 2 green chillies
    • 1/2 tsp black peppercorns

    For the topping

    • 2 tbsp coconut oil
    • 1 tsp mustard seeds
    • 2 dry red chillies
    • 2 sprigs curry leaves
    • 1/2 cup grated coconut

    Method

    1. Pressure cook the cowpeas with 1.5 cups water for 4-5 whistles until soft.
    2. Cook the pumpkin with turmeric, chilli powder, salt and 1/2 cup water in a covered pan on medium heat for 8-10 minutes until soft.
    3. Grind the coconut, cumin, garlic, green chillies and pepper to a smooth paste with a little water.
    4. Add the cooked cowpeas to the pumpkin and mash lightly with a ladle so about half the pumpkin breaks down and the rest stays in pieces.
    5. Stir in the coconut paste and simmer on low heat for 5 minutes until thick and the raw smell is gone. Add a little water if it gets too thick.
    6. For the topping, heat coconut oil, splutter mustard seeds, add red chillies and curry leaves, then add the grated coconut. Fry on medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for 5-6 minutes until it turns deep golden brown.
    7. Pour the topping over the erissery, mix in half of it and leave the rest on top. Serve warm.

    Tips

    • Choose a ripe, sweet pumpkin with deep orange flesh.
    • Fry the coconut topping patiently; it should be evenly browned, not burnt in spots.
    • Raw plantain cubes can replace half the pumpkin for a firmer texture.

    Serve with

    Rice with sambar, pappadam and other sadya dishes.

  • Olan

    Olan is the mildest curry on the Onam sadya leaf, and it is there on purpose: after the tang of pulissery and the heat of pickles, olan cools and calms the palate. It is a simple preparation of ash gourd, sometimes with pumpkin, and red cowpeas, cooked in coconut milk with nothing more than green chillies, salt and curry leaves.

    It is pale, light and delicately sweet, with the ash gourd turning translucent and soft. There are no ground spices, no tempering and no onions in the traditional version, so the quality of the coconut milk and the fresh coconut oil at the end matter a great deal. It is eaten with rice, and many people enjoy it the next day too.

    At a glance

    RegionKerala
    CuisineKerala
    DietVegan
    CourseSide dish
    Prep time15 minutes
    Cook time25 minutes
    Total time40 minutes
    Serves5
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsash gourd / red cowpeas / coconut milk / green chillies

    Ingredients

    • 1/3 cup red cowpeas (vanpayar), soaked 6 hours
    • 400 g ash gourd (kumbalanga), peeled and cut into thin 3 cm squares
    • 100 g yellow pumpkin, thinly sliced (optional)
    • 4 green chillies, slit
    • 1 cup thin coconut milk
    • 3/4 cup thick coconut milk
    • 3/4 tsp salt
    • 2 sprigs curry leaves
    • 1.5 tbsp raw coconut oil

    Method

    1. Pressure cook the soaked cowpeas with 1 cup water and a pinch of salt for 3-4 whistles until soft but whole. Drain.
    2. Put the ash gourd, pumpkin, green chillies and salt in a pan with the thin coconut milk.
    3. Cover and simmer on low-medium heat for 10-12 minutes until the ash gourd turns translucent and is soft when pressed.
    4. Add the cooked cowpeas and simmer for 2-3 minutes so they absorb the flavour.
    5. Lower the heat to the minimum and stir in the thick coconut milk. Heat gently for 1-2 minutes until just hot, without boiling, then switch off.
    6. Add the curry leaves and drizzle the coconut oil over the top. Cover and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.

    Tips

    • Cut the ash gourd thin and even so it cooks quickly and uniformly.
    • Black-eyed beans can replace red cowpeas, though red cowpeas are traditional.
    • Use fresh coconut milk if possible; canned milk makes olan heavier.

    Serve with

    Kerala matta rice with sambar, thoran and pappadam as part of a sadya.

  • Meen Moilee

    Meen moilee, also spelt molee or molly, is a gentle coconut milk fish curry from central Kerala, with roots in the Syrian Christian and Portuguese-influenced kitchens of Kochi. Unlike the fiery red fish curries of the coast made with kudampuli, moilee uses no chilli powder at all. Its colour comes from turmeric and its heat from green chillies.

    The gravy is pale yellow, creamy and fragrant with ginger, garlic and curry leaves, with a light tang from tomato or vinegar. Firm fish such as seer (neymeen), pomfret or pearl spot holds up best. It is a favourite for guests who cannot handle much spice, and it pairs beautifully with appam or rice.

    At a glance

    RegionKerala
    CuisineKerala
    DietNon-vegetarian
    CourseMain course
    Prep time20 minutes
    Cook time25 minutes
    Total time45 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsseer fish / coconut milk / ginger / green chillies / tomato

    Ingredients

    For the fish

    • 500 g seer fish (or pomfret), cut into thick slices
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1/2 tsp crushed black pepper
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1 tsp lemon juice
    • 2 tbsp coconut oil for shallow frying

    For the gravy

    • 2 tbsp coconut oil
    • 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
    • 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
    • 1 large onion, thinly sliced
    • 1.5 inch ginger, julienned
    • 5 garlic cloves, sliced
    • 4 green chillies, slit
    • 2 sprigs curry leaves
    • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1 cup thin coconut milk
    • 1 medium tomato, sliced into rounds
    • 3/4 cup thick coconut milk
    • salt to taste
    • 1 tsp vinegar (optional)

    Method

    1. Rub the fish with turmeric, pepper, salt and lemon juice and marinate for 15 minutes.
    2. Shallow fry the fish in 2 tbsp coconut oil on medium heat for about 1 minute per side, just until lightly sealed. It should not be fully cooked or browned. Set aside.
    3. In a wide pan, heat 2 tbsp coconut oil. Add mustard seeds and fenugreek and let them splutter.
    4. Add onion, ginger, garlic, green chillies and a sprig of curry leaves. Saute on medium heat for 5-6 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent but not coloured.
    5. Add turmeric and stir for a few seconds, then pour in the thin coconut milk and salt. Simmer for 4-5 minutes.
    6. Slide the fish pieces into the gravy in a single layer and arrange the tomato slices on top. Simmer on low heat for 5-6 minutes, gently swirling the pan rather than stirring so the fish does not break.
    7. Add the thick coconut milk and vinegar and heat on the lowest setting for 2 minutes until hot, without letting it boil.
    8. Top with the remaining curry leaves and a drizzle of raw coconut oil, cover and rest for 10 minutes before serving.

    Tips

    • Swirl the pan instead of stirring once the fish is in.
    • Never boil after adding thick coconut milk; it will curdle.
    • Prawns work equally well; add them raw at step 6 and cook for 4 minutes.

    Serve with

    Appam, idiyappam or steamed matta rice.

  • Cabbage Thoran

    Thoran is the everyday dry vegetable dish of Kerala, served at almost every lunch and always part of the sadya. Any vegetable can be made into a thoran, but cabbage is the most common because it is cheap and cooks fast. The defining feature is the coconut mix, which is crushed, not ground, so it stays fluffy and moist.

    The cabbage is shredded very fine and cooked until just tender, keeping a little bite. The result is light, slightly sweet, mildly hot from green chillies, with turmeric-tinted flecks of coconut throughout. A spoon of thoran on the side of rice and fish curry or sambar is a staple Malayali plate.

    At a glance

    RegionKerala
    CuisineKerala
    DietVegan
    CourseSide dish
    Prep time15 minutes
    Cook time10 minutes
    Total time25 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientscabbage / coconut / green chillies / shallots

    Ingredients

    For the coconut mix

    • 3/4 cup grated coconut
    • 2 green chillies
    • 2 garlic cloves
    • 3 shallots
    • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
    • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder

    For the thoran

    • 400 g cabbage (about half a medium head), finely shredded
    • 1.5 tbsp coconut oil
    • 1 tsp mustard seeds
    • 1 tsp urad dal
    • 2 dry red chillies, broken
    • 1 sprig curry leaves
    • 3/4 tsp salt

    Method

    1. Pulse the coconut, green chillies, garlic, shallots, cumin and turmeric in a grinder for 2-3 short bursts without water, or crush in a mortar, until coarse and fluffy.
    2. Toss the shredded cabbage with the coconut mix and salt by hand. Set aside for 5 minutes.
    3. Heat coconut oil in a wide kadai on medium heat. Add mustard seeds, and when they splutter add urad dal, red chillies and curry leaves. Fry until the dal is golden.
    4. Add the cabbage mixture and toss well to coat in the tempering.
    5. Make a well in the centre, cover and cook on low heat for 4-5 minutes. The cabbage will steam in its own moisture; no water is needed.
    6. Uncover and stir-fry on medium heat for 2-3 minutes until the cabbage is just tender and any moisture has evaporated. It should be dry and fluffy, not soggy. Serve warm.

    Tips

    • Shred the cabbage as fine as you can; thick pieces need water and lose their crunch.
    • Mixing the coconut in before cooking, as Kerala homes do, gives a more even flavour than adding it at the end.
    • The same method works for beans, beetroot or carrot.

    Serve with

    Kerala matta rice with sambar, moru curry or fish curry.

  • Adai

    Adai is one of the oldest dosa-type dishes of Tamil Nadu, made from a mix of rice and lentils that is soaked and ground coarse, then cooked straight away without fermenting. Because it uses toor, chana, urad and moong dal, it is far more filling than a plain dosa, and many families make it for dinner when they want a one-dish meal.

    It has a slightly grainy, crisp exterior and a soft centre, with a savoury, spicy flavour from red chillies, ginger, asafoetida and curry leaves. Adai is traditionally eaten with avial, which is why the pairing adai-avial is famous, or with jaggery and butter, a combination many Tamil grandparents swear by.

    At a glance

    RegionTamil Nadu
    CuisineTamil
    DietVegan
    CourseBreakfast
    Prep time20 minutes
    Cook time30 minutes
    Total time50 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsrice / toor dal / chana dal / urad dal / moong dal

    Ingredients

    For the batter

    • 1 cup raw rice (or half idli rice)
    • 1/4 cup toor dal
    • 1/4 cup chana dal
    • 2 tbsp urad dal
    • 2 tbsp moong dal
    • 4-5 dry red chillies
    • 1 inch ginger
    • 1/4 tsp asafoetida
    • 1 tsp salt, or to taste
    • 1 sprig curry leaves, chopped
    • 1 small onion, finely chopped (optional)
    • 2 tbsp grated coconut (optional)

    For cooking

    • coconut oil or gingelly oil, about 1 tsp per adai

    Method

    1. Wash the rice and the dals together and soak in plenty of water for 3-4 hours. Soak the red chillies along with them.
    2. Drain, reserving a little soaking water. Grind the rice, dals, chillies and ginger with minimal water to a coarse batter, like fine rava. It should not be smooth.
    3. Transfer to a bowl and mix in salt, asafoetida, curry leaves, onion and coconut. The batter should be thick but pourable; add a few spoons of water if needed.
    4. Heat a cast-iron tawa on medium heat and grease it lightly.
    5. Pour a ladle of batter and spread it in a circle a little thicker than a regular dosa. Make a small hole in the centre with the ladle tip so heat reaches the middle.
    6. Drizzle 1 tsp oil around the edge and into the centre hole. Cook on medium heat for 3-4 minutes until the base is golden brown and crisp.
    7. Flip and cook for another 2 minutes, then serve immediately.

    Tips

    • A coarse grind is the key to good adai; a smooth batter makes it heavy and dense.
    • Cook on medium, not high heat, as the dals need time to cook through.
    • The batter can be used straight away or kept for a few hours; it does not need to ferment.

    Serve with

    Avial, coconut chutney, or jaggery with a dollop of white butter.

  • Onion Uttapam

    Uttapam, or oothappam in Tamil, is the thicker cousin of the dosa. In many homes it is made on the last day of a batch of batter, when it has turned sour and thick and will no longer spread thin. Onion uttapam is the classic version found on every darshini and tiffin centre menu across South India.

    It is about the thickness of a pancake, soft and spongy inside with a golden, crisp base and a topping of onions that turn sweet and slightly charred where they touch the pan. The slight sourness of well-fermented batter is part of the appeal. It is eaten for breakfast or dinner with sambar and chutney.

    At a glance

    RegionTamil Nadu
    CuisineTamil
    DietVegan
    CourseBreakfast
    Prep time15 minutes
    Cook time25 minutes
    Total time40 minutes
    Serves3
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsdosa batter / onion / green chillies / coriander

    Ingredients

    For the batter

    • 3 cups thick fermented dosa batter
    • salt to taste

    For the topping

    • 2 medium onions, finely chopped
    • 2 green chillies, finely chopped
    • 1 inch ginger, finely chopped
    • 3 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
    • few curry leaves, chopped
    • 1/4 tsp salt
    • oil or ghee for cooking

    Method

    1. Mix the onions, chillies, ginger, coriander, curry leaves and 1/4 tsp salt in a bowl. Keep aside.
    2. Check the batter: it should be thick and pourable, thicker than for plain dosa. Add salt if needed.
    3. Heat a cast-iron tawa on medium heat. Sprinkle a few drops of water; when they sizzle away immediately, wipe the tawa with an oiled onion half or cloth.
    4. Pour a ladle of batter in the centre and spread it gently in a circle about 15 cm wide and 1 cm thick. Do not spread thin.
    5. Immediately sprinkle 2-3 tbsp of the onion mix on top and press it lightly into the batter with the back of the ladle.
    6. Drizzle 1 tsp oil around the edges and over the top. Cover and cook on medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes until the top looks set and the base is golden brown.
    7. Flip carefully and cook the onion side for 2 minutes, pressing lightly, until the onions are browned in spots.
    8. Flip back, transfer to a plate and repeat. Lower the heat slightly between uttapams so the tawa does not overheat.

    Tips

    • Sour, 2-3 day old batter makes the softest and tastiest uttapam.
    • Covering while cooking helps the thick centre cook through without burning the base.
    • Grated carrot, chopped tomato or podi sprinkled on top are popular variations.

    Serve with

    Sambar, coconut chutney and tomato chutney, or a sprinkle of idli podi with gingelly oil.

  • Rava Kesari

    Rava kesari is the sweet Tamil households make when guests arrive without notice or when a small offering is needed for a pooja. It takes under half an hour, uses only pantry staples, and it is the sweet served at almost every South Indian wedding breakfast alongside ven pongal and vada. The name comes from kesar, the saffron that gives it its traditional orange-gold colour.

    Well-made kesari is soft, glossy and melt-in-the-mouth, with each grain of semolina distinct and coated in ghee. It should not be gluey or dry. The flavour is buttery and sweet with cardamom, and the fried cashews add crunch. Pineapple or banana kesari are popular variations using the same base. A spoonful is often the first thing served at a South Indian wedding.

    At a glance

    RegionTamil Nadu
    CuisineTamil
    DietVegetarian
    CourseDessert
    Prep time5 minutes
    Cook time20 minutes
    Total time25 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeNo
    Key ingredientssemolina / ghee / sugar / saffron / cashews

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup fine rava (Bombay rava / semolina)
    • 1/2 cup ghee, divided
    • 12 cashews, halved
    • 1 tbsp raisins
    • 2.5 cups water
    • 1 cup sugar (up to 1.25 cups if you like it sweeter)
    • a generous pinch of saffron, soaked in 2 tbsp warm milk
    • pinch of orange food colour (optional)
    • 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
    • pinch of salt

    Method

    1. Heat 2 tbsp ghee in a heavy kadai on medium-low heat. Fry the cashews until golden, then the raisins until they puff. Remove and keep aside.
    2. In the same ghee, add the rava and roast on low heat for 6-8 minutes, stirring continuously, until aromatic and each grain looks dry and separate. It should not change colour much.
    3. Meanwhile bring 2.5 cups water to a rolling boil in another pan with the saffron milk and food colour if using.
    4. Reduce the heat under the rava to the lowest setting and pour in the boiling water slowly, stirring all the time. It will splutter, so stand back.
    5. Keep stirring for 2-3 minutes until the rava absorbs all the water and turns thick. Cover and cook on low heat for 2 minutes so it cooks through.
    6. Add the sugar and a pinch of salt. The mixture will loosen and turn liquid again; keep stirring on low heat for 4-5 minutes until it thickens.
    7. Add the remaining ghee a spoon at a time, stirring after each addition, until the kesari is glossy and starts to leave the sides of the pan.
    8. Stir in cardamom powder, fried cashews and raisins. Serve warm, or press into a greased plate and cut into pieces once set.

    Tips

    • Add sugar only after the rava is fully cooked; sugar added earlier stops the semolina from softening.
    • The water must be boiling when added, or the kesari turns lumpy.
    • Use 1:2.5 rava to water for soft kesari, 1:2 if you want firm pieces that can be cut.

    Serve with

    Ven pongal and medu vada for a classic South Indian festive breakfast.

  • Kuzhi Paniyaram

    Kuzhi paniyaram is closely associated with Chettinad and the Madurai region, where it is a standard evening tiffin. The name refers to the kuzhi, the round pits of the cast-iron pan in which the batter is cooked. Most homes make it with idli or dosa batter that has turned a little too sour, which makes it a clever way to use up leftovers.

    Each paniyaram is golden and crunchy on the outside and soft and spongy within, flecked with onion, green chilli, ginger and coconut. It is eaten hot as a snack or light dinner with chutneys. A sweet version made with jaggery and banana is equally popular, but the savoury kara paniyaram described here is the everyday one.

    At a glance

    RegionTamil Nadu
    CuisineChettinad
    DietVegan
    CourseBreakfast
    Prep time15 minutes
    Cook time25 minutes
    Total time40 minutes
    Serves3
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsidli batter / onion / green chillies / coconut

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups thick idli or dosa batter (slightly sour is fine)
    • 2 tsp oil, plus about 4 tbsp for the pan
    • 1 tsp mustard seeds
    • 1 tsp urad dal
    • 1 tsp chana dal
    • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
    • 2 green chillies, finely chopped
    • 1 inch ginger, finely chopped
    • 1 sprig curry leaves, chopped
    • 2 tbsp grated coconut
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
    • 1/4 tsp salt, if the batter needs it
    • 1/4 tsp baking soda (optional)

    Method

    1. Bring the batter to room temperature. It should be thick, like idli batter; if it is runny, stir in 1-2 tbsp rice flour.
    2. Heat 2 tsp oil in a small pan, splutter mustard seeds, then fry urad dal and chana dal until golden. Add onion, chillies, ginger and curry leaves and saute for 2-3 minutes until the onion is translucent.
    3. Add this tempering, coconut and coriander to the batter. Check salt, add baking soda if the batter is not very fermented, and mix gently.
    4. Heat the paniyaram pan on medium heat and pour about 1/2 tsp oil into each pit. The pan is ready when a drop of batter sizzles immediately.
    5. Fill each pit about three-quarters full with batter. Cover and cook on medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes until the edges are golden and the top looks set.
    6. Using a skewer or spoon handle, turn each paniyaram over, drizzle a few drops of oil around it and cook uncovered for another 2-3 minutes until the second side is golden and crisp.
    7. Lift them out onto a plate and repeat with the remaining batter, re-oiling the pits each time.

    Tips

    • A well-seasoned cast-iron paniyaram pan gives the crispest crust; nonstick works but browns less.
    • Keep the heat at medium-low, or the outside browns before the inside cooks through.
    • Batter that is 2-3 days old and slightly sour gives the best flavour.

    Serve with

    Coconut chutney, tomato kara chutney or Chettinad kara chutney with shallots.