Kitchen Recipe Collection
Indian Kuzhi Paniyaram
Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, these savory South Indian dumpling balls are made in a special pan using leftover fermented idli or dosa batter.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- easy
- Cuisine
- indian
Ingredients
Scaled for 4 servings
- idli or dosa batter (fermented)
- onions
- green chilies
- curry leaves
- mustard seeds
- urad dal (split black gram)
- chana dal (split bengal gram)
- fresh coriander
- oil
Equipment
- Paniyaram pan (a pan with semi-spherical indentations)
- Small frying pan
Instructions
- 1
Prepare Batter
Take slightly sour leftover idli or dosa batter in a large mixing bowl. It should be thick, not watery.
- 2
Heat Tempering Oil
Heat a tablespoon of oil in a small frying pan.
- 3
Temper Spices
Add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add urad dal and chana dal, frying until golden brown.
- 4
Sauté Aromatics
Add finely chopped green chilies, torn curry leaves, and a pinch of asafoetida (hing).
- 5
Add Onions
Add finely chopped onions and sauté until they turn translucent and soft. Turn off the heat.
- 6
Mix into Batter
Pour this entire hot onion tempering mixture into the idli batter.
- 7
Add Herbs
Add a handful of finely chopped fresh coriander leaves and mix the batter thoroughly.
- 8
Heat Paniyaram Pan
Heat the special Paniyaram (Appe) pan on medium heat. Add a few drops of oil into each cavity.
- 9
Fill Cavities
Once hot, pour a spoonful of batter into each cavity, filling them about 3/4th full as they will rise.
- 10
Cover and Cook
Cover the pan with a lid and cook on low-medium heat for 2-3 minutes until the bottom is crispy and golden.
- 11
Flip
Using a small wooden skewer or spoon, carefully flip each paniyaram over to cook the other side.
- 12
Finish Cooking
Cook uncovered for another 2 minutes until the second side is golden. Remove and serve hot with Kara Chutney (spicy tomato-onion chutney).
Cooking Tips
- Using slightly older, sour batter yields better-tasting paniyarams than fresh batter.
- Cooking on medium-low heat is essential so the center cooks through before the outside burns.
Variations
- Sweet Paniyaram (Unniyappam): Made with rice flour, jaggery, banana, and cardamom instead of savory batter.
Chef's Notes & Storage
- Also known as Paddu, Appe, or Gunta Ponganalu depending on the state in South India.
Nutrition Estimate
220 calories · 5g protein · 35g carbs · 7g fat · 3g fiber per serving
