With Krishna Janmashtami coming closer, I thought of posting recipes apt for this festival.The first one that I made is the Paalakayalu which looks like our Cheedai but this is an Andra version, I guess.This is one of the recipes that I had bookmarked from Harini’s blog. She had made her MIL’s traditional version for one of the Blogging Marathons.
These are really crunchy and you cannot stop with just one! Make this and watch it disappear within minutes!
There is a fact that snacks like these ‘explode’ while frying. To ensure that it does not happen, follow these tips…
Tips
- Sieve and roast the rice flour for better texture and flavor.
- Spread the tiny balls on a cloth for at least half an hour so that it dries and there is no moisture. Moisture and oil don’t mix ,you know…
- Also the balls of dough should not be rolled tightly. Just take a piece of dough and roll it lightly and keep aside. If rolled tightly, the air trapped has no vent and yes, the paalakayalu will burst.
- Roll out into equal sized balls so that they will get cooked evenly.
Notes:
- Home made flour is the best. If you are not able to make it then use store bought rice flour.
- While frying , it is essential to control the oil temperature. Keep it in low once the oil is hot and fry the balls. If the oil is too hot, the outside will cook and turn brown faster and inside will be raw / uncooked.
Now that we have the tips and notes lets make the dish…
I used:
Adapted from – Tamalpaku
Rice flour – 1 cup
Moong dal – 2 tablespoons
Red chili powder- 1 teaspoon
Cumin seeds- 1 teaspoon
Asafoetida powder- a large pinch
Salt to taste
Hot oil- 1 tablespoon
Oil for deep frying
Soak the moong dal for half and hour, drain and keep aside.
Roast the rice flour till a nice aroma arises and the color just starts to change. Spread it on a plate and allow to cool.
Take the rice flour in a bowl. Add the moong dal, red chili powder, adafoetida powder, cumin seeds, salt . Add hot oil and mix with a spoon.Sprinkle water little by little and form a smooth dough that is not sticky or too dry. Check if you are able to roll out the dough into small balls. If the ball does not crumble, the consistency is correct. If it is sticky, add a teaspoon of flour. It it crumbles, add a teaspoon of water and knead.Pinch out small portions and roll out into even sized tiny balls. Don’t roll out tightly. Spread on a cloth to dry for 30-30 minutes.This step is very important[see tips above]
Heat oil and once it is hot, fry the paalakayalu in batches till golden brown. Remove from oil and let it cool.Store in an airtight container once it is is fully cooled.
Offer it to the Lord and much on these later on 🙂
Bon Appetit…
