Crispy on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside, these savory pan-fried dumplings are a South Indian favorite. Made with fermented rice and lentil batter and spiced with onions and chilies, they make for a perfect breakfast or snack.
Prep15 min
Cook20 min
Ferment480 min
Servings4
Serving size: 7 pieces
393cal
10gprotein
62gcarbs
Ingredients
3 cup Idli Batter (Slightly sour, day-old batter works best)
1 medium Onion (finely chopped)
2 piece Green Chili (finely chopped, adjust to taste)
1 inch Ginger (finely grated)
2 tbsp Coriander Leaves (finely chopped)
3 tbsp Vegetable Oil (divided for tempering and cooking)
A classic Andhra-style coconut chutney, bursting with fresh, nutty flavors. It's spiced with green chilies and finished with a fragrant tempering of mustard seeds and curry leaves. The perfect side for idli, dosa, or rice.
Perfectly spiced ponganalu with fresh coconut chutney - a gut-friendly, comforting breakfast delight!
This andhra dish is perfect for breakfast. With 507.57 calories and 11.58g of protein per serving, it's a nutritious choice for your meal plan.
12gfat
10 leaf Curry Leaves
0.25 tsp Hing
0.5 tsp Salt (adjust to taste, as batter may already contain salt)
Instructions
1
Prepare the Masala Tempering (Tadka)
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a small pan over medium heat.
Add the mustard seeds and allow them to splutter, which should take about 30 seconds.
Add the urad dal and chana dal. Sauté for about 1 minute until they turn a light golden brown.
Add the curry leaves, hing, chopped green chilies, and grated ginger. Sauté for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add the finely chopped onions and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they become soft and translucent.
Turn off the heat and set the tempering aside to cool down completely before adding to the batter.
2
Prepare the Ponganalu Batter
In a large mixing bowl, take the idli batter.
Once the onion tempering has cooled, add it to the batter.
Add the chopped coriander leaves and salt. Mix gently but thoroughly until everything is evenly combined. Be mindful of the salt as your batter might already be salted.
Check the consistency. The batter should be thick but still pourable, similar to a pancake batter. If it's too thick, add a tablespoon of water at a time to adjust.
3
Cook the Ponganalu
Heat a ponganalu or paniyaram pan over medium heat.
Add a few drops of the remaining oil into each mold of the pan.
Once the pan is hot, carefully pour the prepared batter into each mold, filling them up to about 3/4 full to allow space for them to rise.
Cover the pan with a lid and cook on low to medium heat for 2-3 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden brown and crispy, and the top surface starts to look cooked.
Using a wooden skewer or a small spoon, carefully flip each ponganalu.
Drizzle a few more drops of oil around the edges if needed and cook the other side for another 2-3 minutes, uncovered, until golden and cooked through.
Remove the cooked ponganalu from the pan and repeat the process with the remaining batter.
4
Serve
Serve the Masala Ponganalu hot, straight from the pan, with your favorite accompaniment like coconut chutney, peanut chutney, or sambar.
115cal
2gprotein
8gcarbs
9gfat
Ingredients
1 cup fresh coconut (grated or chopped)
3 pcs green chilies (adjust to your spice preference)
0.5 inch ginger (roughly chopped)
1 tsp tamarind paste
0.5 tsp salt (or to taste)
4 tbsp water (as needed for grinding)
2 tsp coconut oil
0.5 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp urad dal
1 tsp chana dal
2 pcs dried red chili (broken into halves)
0.25 tsp hing
10 pcs curry leaves
Instructions
1
Grind the Chutney Paste
In a blender or mixie jar, combine the fresh coconut, green chilies, ginger, tamarind paste, and salt.
Add 2 tablespoons of water to begin.
Grind the mixture to a thick, slightly coarse paste. If the blender struggles, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, just enough to get the blades moving. Scrape down the sides as needed.
Transfer the ground chutney to a serving bowl.
2
Prepare the Tempering (Tadka)
Heat the coconut oil in a small pan (tadka pan) over medium heat.
Once the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds. Wait for them to splutter completely, which should take about 30 seconds.
Add the urad dal and chana dal. Sauté for about 1 minute, stirring continuously, until they turn a light golden brown. Do not let them burn.
Add the broken dried red chilies, curry leaves, and hing. Sauté for another 20-30 seconds until the curry leaves become crisp and aromatic.
