Poornalu

1. Contributor: Keerthi Cherukuri
Nenu last 2 times ilaa chesthe baaga vachiniyyi. Appudu dhaaka every yr edho okati thappu ayyedhi..

For Batter:
1 cup - urad dal
2 cups - rice
1 tsp - menthulu

Soak all the above together for 5-6 hrs/overnight.

I grind them in a wet grinder. I don't add too much water, just enough so that it grinds easily. You van let it ferment for 4-5 hrs or put it in the refrigerator immediately. It didn't make much difference.

For stuffing:
2 cups channa dal
4.5 cups water

Pressure cook dal and water for 4-5 whistles. Put in lw flame for 5-10 min afterwards. Turn off and let steam come out.

Mash the pappu. Put it in a glass bowl, add 3 cups light brown sugar. This will make the stuffing watery. Put in the microwave and cook for 5-6 mins. Mix and cook till you get the right consistency to make balls (usually 15-20min). Check for sweetness while mixing and add more if needed.

Once the right consistency is obtained, let it cool and then make small balls. I usually get 20-22 from 2 cups.

For Frying:
Heat oil on medium-high.
Take 1/2 the batter.
Add 1/2tsp baking soda
1tsp sugar
pinch of salt
2 tsp rice flour
Add enough water to get a thicker batter than dosa

Dip the balls in batter and fry them.

Note- you can also add 2tsp of sooji to the batter, to get even crispier poornalu. Some people add tamarind juie to the batter to get a nice color. I never tried but I've seen people do it.