Kuzhi paniyaram is a South Indian dish made from rice batter and black lentils, cooked in a pan with various ingredients. It is often eaten for breakfast or as a snack and served with chutney. It originated in Tamil Nadu and is similar to other South Indian dishes such as idli and dosa.
Kuzhi paniyaram is a dish from the southern region of India, featuring balls mainly made from rice batter and black lentils. It is also commonly known as appam or rice rolls and is commonly eaten for breakfast or as a snack. Synonyms used mainly in South India for this recipe include appe, guliappa, gulittu and gundponglu, among others.
A pan containing several round compartments – similar to a muffin pan – is the traditional pot used to make kuzhi paniyaram. Primarily, however, a batter is made from the union of rice and black lentils, known as urad dal in India. The seeds of the fenugreek plant, called methi, and salt are added to give the batter spices and seasonings. Batter is made by soaking ingredients in a bowl for hours, grinding the contents, then allowing it to ferment. Some people, however, choose to skip the entire batter-making process by buying a packaged mix from the supermarket.
Ingredients such as grated carrots, curry leaves, ginger, green chillies and onions are added to the batter. After mixing, the batter is poured into the pan compartments and placed in an oven. After a while, the developing buns need to be turned over to expose the other side for cooking.
The kuzhi paniyaram is ready when it acquires a golden brown color all around. The resulting donut or donut-shaped cake is often eaten with chutney, which is a tangy mix of fruits and vegetables. Many people, however, choose to eat it without any seasonings.
South India, comprising four states – Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Karnataka – is known as the origin of kuzhi paniyaram. Rice is a staple food in this region of the country. Also, lentils and spices are used extensively in South Indian cuisine.
Notably, kuzhi paniyaram originated in Tamil Nadu, where several similar dishes come from. One of them is idli, a savory pie made in much the same way as kuzhi paniyaram and eaten in the Indian state since the eighth century. More than kuzhi paniyaram, it is commonly eaten with condiments such as chutney or a vegetable stew, called sambar, made with tamarind and pigeon peas. Kuzhi Paniyaram has also been compared to Dosa which is also made from rice and lentils. It is, however, described and prepared as a fermented pancake or crepe rather than a bun-shaped cake.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
