Punugulu Recipe

Punugulu are a popular snack from Andhra cuisine. Made with idli dosa batter these are super quick to make, turn out crisp and delicious. Serve these with chutney as a evening tea-time snack or breakfast.

Prep Time5

Cook Time30

Total Time35

Servings:

Author: Swasthi

Ingredients

2 cups idli dosa batter (thick or ¼ cup urad dal and ¾ cup raw rice)
2 tablespoons poha or semolina or rice flour (optional)
Salt to taste , only if required
oil to deep fry as needed
2 green chilies chopped
¼ cup onion chopped
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
¾ teaspoon ginger (grated, optional)

Instructions

Make batter for Punugulu

You can skip steps 1 to 5 if using idli dosa batter. Rinse urad dal and rice separately multiple times till the water looks clear.
Soak them for at least 4 hrs separately. Later drain and rinse the dal and rice. Add dal to a grinder along with 3 to 4 tablespoons water. If you want you can also add green chilies and cumin to the grinder at this stage or add them chopped to the batter directly later before frying.
Grind dal to a smooth thick batter. Do not make it runny. Transfer this to a mixing bowl.
Grind rice to a thick and slightly coarse batter, adding water only as required. Mix it well with the dal batter. Check the consistency now, it has to be thick of dropping consistency.
If you want you may ferment the batter for 4 to 6 hours. This is optional.

How to make Punugulu

If the batter is runny, add powdered poha/ attukulu or rice flour or semolina. Set this side for 10 mins. It becomes thicker after it is soaked. Now adjust the consistency, if required, you may add very little water or can proceed as it is if the consistency is right. Check by making few fritters, if they are hard you need to add little water.
Add cumin, chopped chilies, ginger and onions to the batter.
Heat oil in a kadai on a medium flame.
To test drop a small portion of batter to the hot oil, the batter has to sizzle and rise to the surface but not sink. This is the right temperature.
Shape the batter to round balls with your fingers and drop them in the hot oil.
Do not disturb them for a few minutes. Later using a slotted spoon, stir and fry till golden and crisp. Remove punugulu to a cooling rack or steel colander.
serve them warm with your favorite chutney.

How to make maida punugulu

Mix 3/4 cup maida, 3 tbsp rice flour, 3 tbsp curd, 1 green chili, 1 small onion, 1/2 tsp. chopped ginger, salt as needed and 1/4 tsp soda. Set this aside for 30 to 45 minutes.
Heat oil and drop small portions of the batter in hot oil. Fry until golden.

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