Vellai Paniyaram Recipe | Chettinad Special Recipes

Vellai Paniyaram is an authentic chettinad dish which is prepared in every auspicious occasion and served with spicy chutney. I miss this so much in my MIL's place, so request my mom to make these chettinad dishes when I visit home!!! My DH gets surprised seeing me going crazy over these foods as he is not used to our cuisine but definitely enjoys eating them:P To the recipe.....

VELLAI PANIYARAM RECIPE

Recipe Category:South Indian / Snack
Soaking Time : 1 hour Preparation Time: 20 minutes 
Cooking Time: 25 minutes Serves: 15

Ingredients:

Raw Rice (Pacha Arisi) - 1 cup, level it instead of heap
Urad Dhal - 1/4 cup (approximately) / handful to make the heap above raw rice measurement
Water -as required for watery batter like dosa batter
Milk -as required (optional)
Salt - to taste
Oil - for deep frying

***Consistency of the batter should be slightly watery than the dosa batter. To make it watery/thin you can also use little milk or water. Adding milk gives you a rich white colour paniyaram. 
*** Oil must be in medium heat throughout cooking, make sure that the oil doesn't get overheated. 

Method of Preparation:

1. The right measurements is the key to a perfect vellai paniyaram. Keep a plate underneath the cup and measure raw rice up to rim and level off the excess rice to the plate. Now, heap the urad dhal above the raw rice in the cup. Make a high heap as possible. Now, this is the measurement. Soak both together for 1- 2 hour maximum.

2. Drain the water and grind to a fine batter with required salt. Add water little by little for a smooth and watery batter like dosa batter. Now, heat oil in a wide bottom pan. If the batter is not runny like dosa, add little milk or water. Take a medium size, flat bottomed laddle for pouring batter in the oil. Take one laddle of batter and remove off the excess dripping batter into the bowl and slowly pour the batter in the centre of the pan. The paniyaram will immediately rise to the top.

3.As it rises to the top, with the help of the laddle used to take out the paniyaram, pour the heated oil in the pan over the paniyaram. It gives a flowery border for the paniyaram. As this side is cooked, you can see the picture how the centre is bulged,now flip over the paniyaram to the other side and let it cook for a few seconds or a minute. Remove the paniyaram and drain it in a tissue paper. Once it is cooled, break the paniyaram and see if it is cooked inside well. So you can now time the cooking of each paniyaram and repeat the process for the entire batter.

Notes:

• Oil must never be over heated, so check with batter for the right temperature. 
• Make sure you get the flowery border as it the highlight of vellai paniyaram. 
• Make sure the inside is cooked well. 
• You can also chill the batter for an hour before making the paniyaram's. It is optional for less quantity but if you are preparing for a big group of people. Make sure you refrigerate the batter for an hour maximum.

In Picture: Vellai Paniyaram served hot with Red Chilli Chutney. 

Linking this to Beulah's Full Scoops 1st Anniversary Celebration!!!