Karupatti Paniyaram

Introduction

Instructions

1. Wash both types of rice separately, 3–4 times, or until the water runs almost clear and most of the excess starch has been removed. Wash the urad dal (split black gram) in the same way. Substitute: If Ponni raw rice is unavailable, Basmati rice can be used. If Ponni parboiled rice is unavailable, white parboiled rice can be used.
2. Add the washed and strained parboiled rice, raw rice, urad dal and fenugreek seeds to a large vessel. Add approximately 5 cups of water, or enough to completely submerge the ingredients with about 2–3 cm of water above them.
3. Cover the mixture with a lid and leave to soak for at least 3 hours.
4. Once soaked, drain the water. Transfer the rice, urad dal and fenugreek seeds to a wet grinder or food processor and add salt.
5. In a traditional wet grinder or a food processor, grind the mixture, adding 1 cup water gradually and only as required. The batter should be thick but pourable, falling slowly from a spoon or ladle, while retaining a slight graininess.
6. Transfer the batter to a clean vessel and cover loosely with a muslin cloth or cheesecloth. Leave to ferment for 6–8 hours, depending on the ambient temperature. If necessary, place the covered vessel inside a switched-off oven or in a warmer part of the kitchen. Once fermented, the batter should have visible air bubbles, feel fluffy and airy, and have a slightly tangy aroma. The batter will rise slightly but will not necessarily double in volume.
7. The base batter should yield about 4–4 ½ cups. Measure out 2 cups. Refrigerate the remaining batter for up to 3 days. Bring the refrigerated batter back to room temperature before using.

1. Place the palm jaggery and 3 tablespoons of water in a heavy-bottomed pan over low heat. Stir continuously until the jaggery has completely dissolved.
2. Remove from heat and strain the melted jaggery through a fine sieve to remove any impurities. Set aside to cool completely.

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-low heat. Add the grated fresh coconut and fry, stirring continuously, until lightly golden and fragrant. Remove from heat and allow the fried coconut to cool completely. Skip this step if not using coconut.

1. Place 2 cups of the base batter (at room temperature) in a mixing bowl.
2. Add the cooled palm jaggery syrup and dried ginger powder and mix thoroughly. If using the fried coconut, add it now and mix again.
3. The finished batter should remain thick enough to hold shape when ladled rather than spreading thin like a pancake or waffle batter.

1. Traditional method: Using a paniyaram pan
   • Heat the paniyaram pan over medium heat. Substitute: If unavailable, use a Japanese Takoyaki pan.
   • Generously coat the pan with sesame oil, approximately ½ teaspoon per cavity. Substitute: If unavailable, use a neutral vegetable oil or ghee.
   • Once the oil is hot (but not smoking), use a ladle to pour the batter into each cavity. Do not fill completely to the top, as the paniyaram will rise as it cooks.
   • Immediately cover the pan with a lid and cook for approximately 2 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden-brown and the paniyaram has puffed and rounded.
   • Carefully flip each paniyaram and cook uncovered for another 2–3 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through.
   • Remove from the pan and serve warm.
2. Alternative method: Deep-fried paniyaram
   • In a deep kadhai over medium heat, heat 500–750 ml vegetable oil (enough for the paniyaram to float).
   • Just before frying, mix ½ teaspoon baking soda into the batter.
   • Once the oil is hot (but not smoking), add small ladlefuls of batter into the kadhai. Be careful not to overcrowd the kadhai.
   • Fry until the paniyaram are golden-brown, then turn and fry until evenly coloured and cooked through.
   • Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a plate lined with paper towel. Serve warm.

Tips

• The amount of palm jaggery can be adjusted according to the preferred level of sweetness. The quantity in this recipe produces a balanced, mildly sweet paniyaram.
• When using a paniyaram pan, grease the cavities generously with sesame oil. This is especially important because the palm jaggery makes the batter more likely to stick.
• If deep-frying the paniyaram in a kadhai, adding baking soda to the batter helps the paniyaram puff up and retain a rounded shape when deep-fried. Add the baking soda just before frying so the paniyaram remains light and rounded.
• Keep the heat moderate while cooking. Palm jaggery causes the paniyaram to brown quickly, so very high heat can result in a dark exterior while the centre remains undercooked.