Indian street food recipes: Poddu

By Nandini Bhushan

Street food in India is a vibrant and integral part of culinary culture, offering diverse flavours, textures and aromas. The rich journey of Indian street food varies widely from region to region, reflecting the country’s diverse culinary tradition. From east to west and north to south, every corner offers its own unique street food made with locally available ingredients. Cheap and easily available, these street foods are consumed by millions.

Also try: Indian street food recipes: Bombay Grilled Sandwich

Poddu

Poddu also known as paddu or paniyarum is a popular south Indian street food from Karnataka made from fermented batter of rice and urad dal.

Ingredients

(Serving for 3 to 4 persons)

For the batter

Rice: 1 cup

Urad dal: ¼ cup

Methi Dana: ½ tsp

Poha: ¼ cup

Salt to taste

For the tempering

Oil: 1 tsp

Mustard seeds: 1 tsp

Urad dal: 1 tsp

Chana dal: 1 tsp

Onion: 1 small

Green chilli: 2

Curry leaves: 1 sprig

Grated coconut: 2 tsp

Hing: a pinch

Salt to taste

Step 1

Rinse the rice and dal separately. Soak rice in a bowl with enough water. Soak dal and fenugreek seed in a separate bowl for about six hours or overnight. Soak the poha in water for 15 to 20 minutes before grinding.

Step 2

Drain the soaked ingredients. First, grind the urad dal and fenugreek seed with a little water into a smooth paste. Next, grind the rice and poha together and mix both batter in a large bowl. Add salt and mix well. Cover and let it ferment in a warm place for 8 to 10 hours until it doubles in volume.

Step 3

In a small pan heat a tsp of oil. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Then add chana, urad dal, thinly diced onion, green chilli, and curry leaves. Saute until the onion becomes translucent. To this add hing and grated coconut and saute for another minute. Add salt to taste.

Step 4

Add the tampering to the fermented batter and mix well.

Step 5

Grease each paniyaram mould on medium heat. Pour a spoonful of batter into each mould, filling it up to the top.

Step 6

Cover the pan and cook on medium heat until the bottom turns golden brown. Use a skewer or a spoon to flip and cook the other side until golden brown.

Step 7

Remove the poddu from the pan and serve hot with coconut chutney, tomato chutney or sambar.