Pundi Guli with Red Chili Chutney

Soak and Grind the Rice

• Wash the idli rice thoroughly under running water 3-4 times until the water is clear.
• Soak the rice in ample water for at least 3 hours, or up to 4 hours.
• Drain the soaked rice completely. Add it to a grinder jar along with the fresh grated coconut.
• Grind without adding any water to a coarse, semolina-like (rava) texture. Do not make a fine paste; the coarse texture is key to the final dish.

Prepare the Tempering

• Heat coconut oil in a heavy-bottomed pan or kadai over medium heat.
• Once the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds and allow them to splutter completely, which takes about 30 seconds.
• Add the urad dal and sauté for about a minute until it turns a light golden brown.
• Add the broken dried red chillies and curry leaves. Sauté for another 20 seconds until the curry leaves are crisp and fragrant.

Cook the Rice Dough

• Carefully pour 3 cups of water into the pan with the tempering. Add the salt and bring the water to a rolling boil.
• Reduce the heat to low. Slowly and steadily, add the ground rice-coconut mixture to the boiling water while stirring continuously with a sturdy spatula to prevent lumps.
• Continue to stir and cook on low heat for 5-7 minutes. The mixture will absorb the water, thicken, and form a single, non-sticky dough mass that pulls away from the sides of the pan.
• Turn off the heat, cover the pan with a lid, and let the dough rest for 5-10 minutes. This allows the rice to cook further in the residual steam.

Shape the Dumplings

• Transfer the cooked dough to a large plate or bowl. Allow it to cool slightly until it is comfortable to handle.
• Grease your palms with a few drops of oil to prevent the dough from sticking.
• Take a small, lime-sized portion of the dough and roll it between your palms to form a smooth, crack-free ball.
• Gently press your thumb in the center of the ball to create a small indent, which is the traditional shape of Pundi Guli.
• Repeat this process with the remaining dough, arranging the shaped dumplings on a plate. You should get about 16-18 dumplings.

Steam the Pundi Guli

• Add 1-2 cups of water to the base of a steamer or idli cooker and bring it to a boil.
• Grease the steamer plates or idli molds with a little oil.
• Arrange the shaped dumplings on the plates, ensuring they are not overcrowded to allow for even steaming.
• Place the stand inside the steamer, cover with a lid, and steam on medium-high heat for 12-15 minutes.
• To check for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of a dumpling; it should come out clean.
• Turn off the heat and let the Pundi Guli rest in the steamer for 5 minutes before opening the lid. This prevents them from becoming sticky.

Serve

• Carefully remove the dumplings from the steamer.
• Serve hot with coconut chutney, tomato chutney, or sambar.

Combine and serve: Immediately pour the hot tempering over the ground chutney and mix well. Let the chutney rest for at least 10 minutes for the flavors to meld. Serve with idli, dosa, uttapam, or plain rice.