Gunta Ponganalu/Pongadalu
What do you do with leftover idli or dosa batter? Use it to prepare Punukulu or Ponganalu. They are quick and easy to prepare. Just add chopped onion, green chillis, cumin seeds, coriander leaves and soaked channa dal to the batter and prepare shallow fried fritters aka Gunta Ponganalu or Pongadalu, a Rayalaseema speciality. You need a special cooking skillet, ‘ponganalu penam’, to prepare these petite beauties.
Gunta Ponganalu Recipe
Prep:Overnight fermentation Prep & Cooking: 20 mts
Serves 4-5 persons
Cuisine: Andhra
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2 cups raw rice, soak in water overnight
1 tsp methi/fenugreek seeds
1 cup urad dal/minappa pappu/black gram dal, soak for 4-5 hrs
1 chopped onion
1 1/2 tsps green chilli-ginger paste
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 fistfuls channa dal/senaga pappu, soaked in water for an hour
1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
oil for frying
salt to taste
1 Soak rice, urad dal and methi seeds for 7-8 hrs. Strain and grind the soaked dal and rice to a fine paste. Ferment the batter for 6-7 hrs. Add salt to taste and combine well. (Alternately you can use left over dosa or idli batter too.)
2 Add chopped onions, green chilli-ginger paste, soaked channa dal, cumin seeds and coriander leaves to the batter and combine well.
3 Pour few drops of oil into each depression of the ponganalu penam. Place flame on medium high for a mt. Pour batter into each depression and allow to cook with lid for 4-5 mts undisturbed and cook on low to medium flame. It will cook to a golden brown shade. Flip over with help of a spoon or fork and allow to cook for 2-3 mts without lid.
4 Remove onto absorbent paper. Serve hot with chutney of your choice.
By sailu • Feb 5th, 2010 • Category: All Recipes for Kids, Breakfast Recipes for Kids, Left Over Recipes, Snacks for Kids, Tiffin Indian Recipes for Kids
Hi sailu,
Ponganalu are looking very yummy. I want to try it ASAP, but before that I need to get that punganalu penam. I heard that we are getting the non-stick ones also in this. Let me try it out…
Thank u so much for the recipe and my son would certainly love this one….
Hi Sailu,
Really like this recipe but just wondering if I can just use a muffin tray and bake them in the Oven? I don’t have this pan and most probably won’t find it where I live. Please let me know.
Thanks,
Puja
I’m afraid a muffin tray will not work. You need to cook over stove top and not bake.
I love ‘gunta ponganalu’ saliu garu
Thanks,
Sudha
I use an aebleskiver pan to make these – it works great. Here is a link on Amazon to buy one -
http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Pro-Logic-Cast-Iron-Aebleskiver-Pan/dp/B00063RXQA
Wonderful recipe, Sailu !
I think in Tamil Nadu, it is called ‘Vellai (white) Paniyaram’
Sailu,
Thanks for the reply. While looking for similar items that you used. I came across this pancake. Please take a look and let me know if I can use this.
pancakepuff.com/flare/next
Thanks so much
Puja
Hello Sailu,
I just love them; usually I use the left over dosa batter and add all the garnishings(that you mentioned). My mother prepares a curd chutney along with it which is mouth watering too..
Cheers,
Prasanna
So if you shop around in speciality food shops in the US – or even some regular places – you will find an Æbleskiver pan. Look at the link here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86bleskiver. This pan will work quite well for paniyarams and fried idlis like this.
Couldn’t resist the recipe at all!
And all the people (including myself) who can’t get it from an Indian store ( thanks to the airlines, for the luggage weight restriction) a similar pan is available in target ( it should be available in walmart too I am guessing).
http://www.target.com/Pancake-Puff-Aebleskiver-Pan/dp/B00114LC06/ref=sc_pd_gwvub_1_title?ie=UTF8&pf_rd_r=2D5FECF3892444658571&pf_rd_m=A1VC38T7YXB528&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0&pf_rd_p=58371022&pf_rd_s=bottom-4
It’s a basic pan which the Danish use for making pancakes but works just fine for our version of pancakes (ponganalu).If you need more sophisticated versions, there are tons on the market.
Happy cooking!
n Ms.Sailu, thanks a ton for the recipes. I enjoy making and eating them too!
Hi Sailu,
Love your blog and the pictures of the dishes are awesome, wants to make one eat them right away. I tried making this but they stick to the pan and I end up throwing away the whole lot. Any suggestions on how to make them come out like yours.Thanks a lot
The pan has to be well seasoned, Neera. Apply oil to the depressions and heat it for a little while.
can we make hem one day before ,for a next day party .
if yes how can we store them and ready to serve.
They are best prepared the same day and served warm.
Hi sailu,
Thanks for the good recipes.I tried ponganalu but it coming out crisp and not getting color. When i’m studying i used to eat ponganalu in my mess,it was awesome,but my ponganalu is not coming out that much tasty
loved it…..have also made this using jaggery….tastes delicious..
i am in india. pl tell me whether gunta ponganalu will taste better in a non stick pan or that cast iron one which the locals in andhra eat?
Both are equally fine.