PUNUGULU/IDLY BATTER FRITTERS

Punugulu

This is purely a Andhra snack item. To be frank it is a famous Andhra street foods like the chaats in the North. All the children, even the elders love it. This easily prepared snack needs very few items. Mostly the leftover idly batter is the main ingredient. Sometimes the leftover dosa batter is also used. Normally in the road side kaka hotels they make tiffins like idly, dosa, vada, puri in the morning and in the evenings they make Bhajiyas(Bjjilu , vegetable fritters) , masala vada, punugulu with the left over batter. As they are made with the batter which ferments slightly and becomes sour(puliyatam in telugu) they are called punugulu.

INGREDIENTS

• Idly batter 1 cup
• Onion 1 small
• Green chilly 1
• Oil for deep frying
• Maida 1 tsp
• Rice flour 1 tsp

PROCEDURE
Take the left over idly batter(preferrable 1-2 days old) and leave it outside for 7-8 hours. If making the punugulu in the evening keep the batter out early in the morning. Add the salt to the batter if you did not add it earlier. Cut the onion and green chillies and mix with the batter. If the batter is thin add the maida and rice flour. Mix the batter well. Heat the oil in a pan. When the oil is fully heated drop a teaspoon of the batter into the oil. 10-12 of them can be made in a batch. Do not overcrowd the pan. The batter should first touch the bottom and then float immediately and that the correct temperature of the oil. Fry them for 2 minutes or untill desired color is reached. Some prefer punugulu to be golden yellow, but I like them browned a little bit more( like the ones sold in kaka hotels). Serve punugulu with coconut chutney and ginger chutney.
TIPS

• Make alterations by adding jeera or black pepper or add vegetables of your choice( carrots, peas, beans, cabbage).
• The size can also be changed, but I like them small.
• Rice flour and maida can be increased if the batter is thin.
• Use the idly batter rather than the dosa batter as the texture and crispiness of the punugulu will be nice.