Kuzhi Paniyaram (Savoury and Sweet) Recipe | Chettinad Recipes

Another excellent dish of chettinad cuisine is kuzhi paniyaram. Kuzhi paniyaram can be made sweet and spicy. We make this very often in my mom's place. Now, this dish is served in restaurants as evening snack. They have a small stall in front and we can see how it's made. So, these are very aattractive and we tend to order it. They taste as excellent as they look. Paniyaram goes well for a mild evening snack with a cup of coffee!!! I also enjoyed clicking and that's the reason for such a lengthy post!!!:P

KUZHI PANIYARAM (SWEET & SAVORY) RECIPE

Recipe Category: Indian | Main

Soaking Time: 8 hours Ferment Time: 6 hours
Preparation Time: 1 hour Cooking Time : 10 minutes Serves: 8

Ingredients:

To make Paniyaram Batter:
Raw Rice / Pacharisi - 3 cups
Idli Rice - 1 cup
Urad Dhal - 1/2 cup
Fenugreek Seeds - 1/4 cup
Poha / Aval - 1/4 cup

SAVORY RECIPE:

Paniyaram Batter - 2 cups
Water - 1/2 cup or as required
Salt - to taste

To Temper:
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 2 tsp
Urad Dhal - 2 tsp
Channa Dhal - 1 tbsp
Green Chillies - 2, finely chopped
Small Onions (Shallots) - 10, finely chopped

SWEET RECIPE:

Paniyaram Batter - 2 cups
Jaggery - 1/4 cup
Water - required to dissolve jaggery
Grated Coconut - 1/4 (optional)
Salt - pinch

Method of Preparation:

For Paniyaram Batter:
1. Soak raw rice and idli rice for 8 hours maximum. Soak fenugreek seeds separately for 8 hours maximum. Soak urad dhal separately for 1 hour maximum. Soak poha for 5 minutes maximum. Drain the water and set aside. Grind urad dhal, fenugreek, poha for 15 minutes with very little water to a thick batter. Remove them to a vessel. Add the raw rice and idli rice to the grinder / mixie and grind to a thick smooth batter with very little water possible. Add the urad dhal batter to the rice batter and pulse it once. Transfer the batter to a container. Fill only half the container and allow to ferment for 5-8 hours maximum. It rises well and the batter is ready.

2. In a mixing bowl, add the required batter and dilute with required water. Add salt and mix well.

3. Heat oil in a pan, add the items under temper and saute well. Add this to the savoury paniyaram batter. Mix well.

4. Heat paniyaram pan, add few drops of oil in each hole. Fill each hole with 3/4th of batter and cook in low heat for few minutes. As it cooks, the batter slightly arises in the center and small holes start to appear. Now, flip the paniyaram to the other side and cook for few minutes til it turns golden and crispy outer.

5. In a pan, heat water and add jaggery to it. Let it bubble and dissolve completely.

6. Strain through the jaggery water to remove impurities. In a mixing bowl, take the paniyaram batter required and add the thick jaggery water. Adjust to suit the sweetness required in the batter. Add grated coconut and mix well.

7. Heat paniyaram pan, add few drops of oil in each hole. Fill each hole with 3/4th of batter and cook in low heat for few minutes. As it cooks, the batter slightly arises in the center and small holes start to appear.

8. Now, flip the paniyaram to the other side and cook for few minutes til it turns golden and crispy outer.

Notes:

• The batter is same as appam batter. You can make a big batch and use for each recipes separately.
• For sweet paniyaram, the batter has to be thick as we add jaggery water which will dilute the batter to the required consistency.
• The batter tastes good for long in the fridge. 
• For making savoury kuzhi paniyaram, dosa batter can also be used. 
• For sweet paniyaram, never increase the flame from low. Cook slowly in low heat.
• Check the consistency of sweet from the picture (6). It should be slightly thick and runny like spicy version. 

Serving Suggestion: Savoury paniyaram tastes good with red chilli chutney and coconut chutney. 

Linking this to my fav blogger's blog Beulah's Full Scoops 1st Anniversary Celebration!!!