Boorelu is a sweet Indian dessert made from fried balls of dal batter filled with a mixture of dal, jaggery, coconut, cardamom, and dried fruit. It can also be made with savory ingredients like meats and spices.
Boorelu is an Indian dessert that resembles the American donut hole, with decidedly different ingredients. A popular festival for the Indian harvest festival of Sankranti, boorelu originates from the state of Andhra Predesh along the southeast coast of India. The traditional way to make this ball of fried bread is with crushed dal. Inside is a filling which could contain many ingredients, most often a mixture of more dal, sugar substitute jaggery, cardamom, coconut and sometimes dried fruit.
The dal needs to be prepared well in advance of the final formation of these sweet balls – unless the cook has bought powdered black or urad gram dal or rice flour, which is an easily available option. The only other way is to soak the whole dal in water for at least four hours, then drain and grind the lentils into a fine paste. A pinch of salt can be added to the paste and just a spoonful or two of water to moisten the dal as it is ground. A little rice flour should also be added to make the batter more malleable.
With the dal batter resting, the boorelu filling can take shape. Some use a paste of channa dal to form easily carved balls, sweetened with sugar or grated jaggery. In this mush go grated coconut, cardamom powder, more salt and small pieces of dried fruit such as dates, berries or pineapple. Small balls of this filling can then be rolled up and dipped in dal batter.
After the boorelu filling has rested and reached room temperature, they are divided into golf ball-sized portions. These balls then wait for the oil to heat up in a pan, then are dipped in white dal batter and tossed into the pan. In about two minutes, the boorelu should be tanned and ready for final inspection. Sprinkle powdered sugar to make the final dessert; others poke a small hole in the top and spread a spreadable butter, called ghee.
Boorelu wouldn’t be as pleasant if only one version was acceptable. Chefs routinely substitute sweet ingredients in favor of a savory effect. That means using meats, cheeses, and other spices like garlic, onion, cumin, and nutmeg instead of coconut, fruit, and sugar. Chilli paste is another option when trying to accompany a main course with boorelu, instead of closing the meal with desserts.
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