Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, these savory South Indian dumplings are a delight. Made from fermented rice and lentil batter with a flavorful tempering of onions and spices, they are perfect for a quick breakfast or evening snack.
Prep15 min
Cook20 min
Ferment480 min
Servings4
Serving size: 6 pieces
424cal
10gprotein
62gcarbs
Ingredients
3 cup Idli Batter (Well-fermented, can be homemade or store-bought)
Aromatic and spicy lentil stew from the Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu. Made with freshly ground spices, tamarind, and mixed vegetables, it's a flavorful twist on the classic sambar, perfect with rice or idli.
Perfectly spiced Kara Paniyaram with tangy Chettinad Sambar - a delicious and comforting meal for all!
This chettinad dish is perfect for breakfast. With 770.71 calories and 23.7g of protein per serving, it's a nutritious choice for your meal plan.
15gfat
10 pcs Curry Leaves (Chopped)
2 tbsp Coriander Leaves (Finely chopped)
0.5 tsp Salt (Adjust to taste, as batter may already contain salt)
Instructions
1
Prepare the Tempering
Heat 2 tbsp of sesame oil in a small pan over medium heat.
Add the mustard seeds. Once they begin to splutter (about 30 seconds), add the urad dal and chana dal.
Sauté for about 1 minute until the dals turn a light golden brown.
Stir in the hing, followed by the finely chopped onion, green chilies, and grated ginger.
Sauté for 3-4 minutes until the onions become soft and translucent.
Add the chopped curry leaves and cook for another 30 seconds. Turn off the heat and allow the tempering to cool for a few minutes.
2
Combine Batter and Tempering
In a large mixing bowl, pour the idli batter.
Add the slightly cooled tempering, finely chopped coriander leaves, and salt.
Mix thoroughly until all the ingredients are evenly distributed. The batter should have a thick, yet pourable consistency.
3
Cook the Paniyaram
Place a paniyaram pan (appe pan) over medium heat.
Add a few drops of the remaining sesame oil into each mold.
Once the pan is hot, carefully pour the prepared batter into each mold, filling it up to ¾ of its capacity.
Cover the pan with a lid and cook on a low to medium flame for 2-3 minutes, until the bottoms are golden brown and the top surface looks cooked.
Using a wooden skewer or a small spoon, gently flip each paniyaram to cook the other side.
Cook uncovered for another 2-3 minutes until the second side is also golden, crispy, and cooked through.
4
Serve
Once cooked, remove the paniyarams from the pan and place them on a serving plate.
Repeat the cooking process with the remaining batter, adding a little oil to the molds for each batch.
Serve the hot Kara Paniyaram immediately with coconut chutney, tomato chutney, or sambar.
Servings
4
Serving size: 1 cup
347cal
14gprotein
52gcarbs
12gfat
Ingredients
1 cup Toor Dal (Also known as split pigeon peas)
0.5 tsp Turmeric Powder
3 cup Water (For pressure cooking the dal)
2 tbsp Coriander Seeds
1 tbsp Chana Dal
1 tsp Urad Dal
0.25 tsp Fenugreek Seeds
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1 tsp Black Peppercorns
5 pcs Dry Red Chillies (For the masala powder)
3 tbsp Grated Coconut (Fresh or desiccated)
1 tsp Sesame Oil (For roasting masala)
20 g Tamarind (Seedless, about a small lemon-sized ball)
1 pcs Drumstick (Cut into 2-inch pieces)
1 pcs Brinjal (Small, quartered)
0.5 cup Yellow Pumpkin (Peeled and cubed)
15 pcs Sambar Onions (Peeled, also known as pearl onions)
1 pcs Tomato (Medium, chopped)
1.5 tsp Salt (Adjust to taste)
0.5 tsp Jaggery (Optional, to balance flavors)
2 tbsp Ghee (For tempering)
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
10 pcs Curry Leaves
0.25 tsp Asafoetida
1 pcs Dry Red Chilli (Broken, for tempering)
2 tbsp Coriander Leaves (Freshly chopped, for garnish)
Instructions
1
Cook the Lentils
Rinse the toor dal thoroughly under running water. In a pressure cooker, combine the rinsed dal, 3 cups of water, and turmeric powder.
Secure the lid and pressure cook on medium heat for 4-5 whistles, or for about 15 minutes, until the dal is completely soft and mushy.
Allow the pressure to release naturally. Open the cooker, whisk the dal until smooth, and set aside.
2
Prepare the Chettinad Masala
Heat 1 tsp of sesame oil in a small pan over low-medium heat. Add the coriander seeds, chana dal, urad dal, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, black peppercorns, and 5 dry red chillies.
Roast for 3-4 minutes, stirring continuously, until the dals turn golden and the spices become fragrant. Be careful not to burn them.
Add the grated coconut and continue to roast for another 1-2 minutes until it is lightly toasted and aromatic.
Remove the mixture from the heat and let it cool down completely. Once cooled, transfer to a blender and grind into a fine powder without adding any water.
3
Cook the Vegetables and Tamarind
While the masala cools, soak the tamarind in 1 cup of hot water for 15 minutes. Squeeze the pulp thoroughly to extract the juice, then discard the solids.
In a large pot or kadai, add the prepared tamarind extract, chopped vegetables (drumstick, brinjal, pumpkin), sambar onions, and chopped tomato.
Add 1 more cup of water and the salt. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 10-12 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender but still hold their shape. The raw smell of the tamarind should also be gone.
4
Combine and Simmer
Pour the cooked, mashed dal into the pot with the vegetables. Stir well to combine.
Add the freshly ground Chettinad masala powder and the optional jaggery. Mix thoroughly, ensuring there are no lumps.
Check the consistency. If the sambar is too thick, add up to 1 cup of hot water to reach your desired consistency.
Allow the sambar to simmer gently on low heat for 8-10 minutes, allowing all the flavors to meld together beautifully.
5
Prepare the Tempering (Tadka)
In a small tempering pan (tadka pan), heat the ghee over medium heat.
Once the ghee is hot, add the mustard seeds and allow them to splutter completely.
Add the broken dry red chilli, curry leaves, and asafoetida. Sauté for 30 seconds until the curry leaves are crisp and the mixture is fragrant.
6
Garnish and Serve
Immediately pour the hot tempering over the simmering sambar. This will create a sizzle and release a wonderful aroma.
Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves, give it a final gentle stir, and turn off the heat.
Serve hot with steamed rice, idli, dosa, or pongal.
