21 VELLAI PANIYARAM

Vellai Paniyaram


This is a traditional dish from Chettinadu( Tamilnadu). Though have heard about this dish very much and tasted it in few places, it was not common in my house. During my visit to India this summer, happened to learn it from one of our relative. Hearing about my visit one of our close relative had come over to my parents place. Along with her came 2 of her distant relatives, one of whom had stayed in Karaikudi for more than 25 years. Knowing about my interest in learning new dishes, she was so happy to give me notes and recipes along with some tips. One such dish is this vellai paniyaram. I often was confused with the names vellai paniyaram and vella paniyaram. Vella paniyaram is lightly sweet and made with jaggery (vellam) the one I am posting today is Vellai paniyaram the name due to its white(vellai in Tamil) color.


The best combo with this paniyaram is tomato kara chutney or red chutney which I will be posting soon. This can be had as a snack or as an evening tiffin or breakfast.

Raw rice - 1 cup
Urad dhal - 1/4 cup
Salt - as needed
Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Milk - 1/4 cup or very little
Oil - for frying


Wash and soak rice and dhal together for one hour. Wet grind to a smooth paste consistency. The consistency should be slightly watery than dosa batter for tha add milk to lightly dilute the consistency. Also add salt and sugar(though sugar is added, it is not a sweet dish, but it just helps in puffind up and also taste good :) ) and mix very well. Transfer to a deep vessel and immerse the vessel with a lid covered in a vessel filled with cold water or in a refridgerator for one hour. Remove 10 minutes before using. You can as well skip this step and fry them right after grinding.


Heat oil for deep frying. When hot reduce to medium flame. Take a ladle full of batter and pour into hot oil 3- 4 times so some of the mix falls and flattens. With a different ladle used for frying things take some hot oil(using the ones that it is fried) and keep on pouring on top of the paniyarams. This way the paniyarams will get puffed up. Turn and repeat the same until the sizzle stops and the paniyarams are cooked. Do not over fry till they are crispy or turn dark. Remove and serve with nice spicy chutney.

Sending this to Food palette series white event hosted by torview.