Punugulu
Crispy outside and soft inside, these Andhra-style fritters are made from dosa or idli batter mixed with onion, green chili, and cumin. They make a lovely tea-time snack and taste best served hot.
For 16 servings
- prep
Chop the mix-ins.
Finely chop the onion, green chili, ginger, coriander leaves, and curry leaves so they blend evenly into the batter.
- mix · ~3 min
Make the punugulu batter.
1.Add idli dosa batter to a mixing bowl.2.Mix in rice flour, onion, green chili, ginger, cumin seeds, coriander leaves, and curry leaves.3.Add salt and baking soda just before frying.4.Stir to make a thick dropping batter that holds shape when scooped.TIPIf the batter feels thin, add 1 more tbsp rice flour so the fritters stay round and crisp. - fry · ~15 min
Heat the oil and fry the punugulu.
1.Heat oil in a deep kadai over medium heat until moderately hot.2.Drop small spoonfuls of batter gently into the oil without crowding the pan.3.Fry, turning often, until the punugulu puff up and turn deep golden on all sides.4.Lift them out with a slotted spoon and let excess oil drip back into the kadai.TIPKeep the heat at medium; very hot oil browns the outside too fast and leaves the center doughy. - serve
Serve the punugulu hot.
Serve right away while crisp and hot. They are best enjoyed fresh as a snack or side.
What to keep in mind.
7 tips from the recipe — small details that make a real difference to the final dish.
- 1Use slightly sour, thick idli-dosa batter; fresh batter gives a flatter, less flavorful punugulu.
- 2Add the baking soda only right before frying so the fritters puff instead of going dense.
- 3Keep the batter thick enough to drop, not pour; loose batter spreads and drinks more oil.
- 4Fry a small test punugulu first and adjust salt or rice flour before doing the full batch.
- 5Chop onion and curry leaves very fine so the spoonfuls stay compact and fry evenly.
- 6Maintain medium heat and turn often; the center should cook through by the time the crust turns deep golden.
- 7Serve immediately with peanut chutney or coconut chutney, as punugulu lose their crisp shell on standing.
Adapt it for your goals.
No-onion
Skip the onion for a simpler version with a cleaner fermented-batter flavor; useful for fasting or preference.
extra spicyExtra-spicy
Increase green chili and add crushed black pepper for a sharper Andhra-style heat that pairs well with tea.
vegetable loadedVegetable-loaded
Mix in finely chopped grated carrot or cabbage in small amounts for more texture, color, and a slightly heartier snack.
appe panAppe-pan
Cook the batter in an appe or paniyaram pan with a little oil for a lighter version that still gets crisp edges.
Why this is on our healthy list.
Fermented Batter Benefits
Because they are made from fermented idli-dosa batter, these fritters can be easier to digest than many unfermented snacks.
Aromatic Digestive Spices
Ginger, cumin, green chili, and curry leaves add flavor while contributing traditional digestive-supporting ingredients.
Some Plant-Based Protein
The rice-lentil idli-dosa batter provides some plant protein, making punugulu more sustaining than plain starch snacks.
Frequently asked questions
The batter was likely too thin or the oil too cool. Add a little more rice flour and fry at steady medium heat.
