Kuzhi Paniyaram
If you're a fan of South Indian cuisine, you're in for a treat! Kuzhi Paniyaram (also called Paddu or Appe) is a fun South Indian snack or breakfast that combines the flavours of fermented rice and urad dal batter with a tempering of spices and aromatics. This bite-sized, savoury delicacy is traditionally cooked in a special paniyaram pan, resulting in a crispy exterior and a soft, fluffy interior. Kuzhi Panivaram is perfect for breakfast, a light meal, or as a delightful tea-time snack and just happens to be naturally vegan.
Equipment
- 1 High-Speed Blender, (I use Vitamix E310)
Ingredients
- 1 x Idli Batter
- 1 large red onion (200g)
- 2 green chillis
- 20 g ginger
- 20-25 curry leaves (optional)
- 15 g coriander
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil + extra for greasing
- 1 tsp urad dal
- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
- 1/4 tsp asafoetida
- 3/4 tbsp salt (10g)
- Coconut Chutney to serve
Instructions
- The day before, follow steps 1-4 of the Idli Recipe to make the batter.
- The next day, at least 30 mins before making the Paniyaram, peel and finely chop the onion; finely slice the green chillies; peel and grate the ginger; roughly slice the curry leaves; discard the lower stems of the coriander and finely chop the rest. Heat the oil in a small frying pan over medium-low heat and add the urad dal and mustard seeds. Sauté until the dal is lightly golden, then add the onion and curry leaves and continue cooking until the onion turns translucent (3-4 mins). Stir in the ginger and chilli and cook for one minute more until aromatic, then add the asafoetida and turn off the heat. Transfer to a bowl, leave to cool and stir in the coriander. While it's cooling, make the Coconut Chutney, if using.
- To cook the Paniyaram, drizzle each cavity of a Paniyaram Pan with a little oil and pre-heat over medium-low heat. Gently mix the cooled tempering and salt (10g) into the batter, then add a small tablespoon of it to each cavity of the pan, filling it almost completely. Cover with a lid and cook for 2 minutes until the paniyaram have puffed up. Remove the lid and continue cooking for 2 minutes more or until they are golden underneath, then flip them over and cook until golden on the other side (3-4 minutes). Transfer to a bowl and continue with the rest of the batter. Serve warm alongside the Coconut Chutney.
Notes
Storage: Paniyaram taste best fresh when they are still warm, crunchy and fluffy at the same time, so try to only cook as many paniyaram as you will eat and then simply store any leftover batter in the fridge. The batter can be refrigerated for up to 5 days. If you cooked too many paniyaram, store them in an airtight container for 2-3 days and re-heat with a little oil in the paniyaram pan until crispy.