Kuzhi Paniyaram (Savory South Indian Appe)

Ingredients

Method

1. 1

   If using store-bought idli batter, skip to step 5. Otherwise, rinse the rice, urad dal and fenugreek seeds in several changes of water until the rinse runs almost clear and soak them in separate bowls or together depending on your grinder capacity.

   Soak at least 4 hours; in hot climates 4–6 hours is enough, in cool climates soak longer.

   240 min
2. 2

   Drain the soaked ingredients. Grind the urad dal (with fenugreek) to a smooth, airy paste using some water, then grind the rice (and optional cooked rice) to a slightly coarse smooth batter. Combine both batters in a large bowl and mix thoroughly.

   Grind in short bursts and scrape the jar so the batter doesn’t heat up. The final consistency should be like a thick pancake batter that pours slowly.

   15 min
3. 3

   Cover the bowl, keep it in a warm spot and ferment until the batter doubles in volume and becomes slightly airy.

   Fermentation time varies: 8–12 hours at room temperature. In cool kitchens, ferment in the oven with just the light on or use a warm spot near a radiator.

   480 min
4. 4

   Make the tempering: heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add mustard seeds; when they pop, add chana dal and split urad dal and fry until golden. Add curry leaves, asafoetida (if using), chopped onions and green chilies and sauté 3–4 minutes until onions are translucent. Add grated carrot and cook 1 minute. Remove from heat.

   Watch the lentils closely—they brown quickly and give nice crunch.

   4 min
5. 5

   Fold the cooled tempering and chopped cilantro into the fermented batter. Stir in salt. Adjust batter consistency with a little water if it's too thick—the batter should fall from a spoon in a ribbon.

   If using store-bought batter, add the tempering straight to it and adjust salt.

6. 6

   Heat a paniyaram (appe) pan over medium heat and brush each cavity lightly with oil. When the pan is hot, spoon batter into each cavity so they are about two-thirds full.

   If you don’t have a paniyaram pan, use a well-greased mini-muffin tin; results differ slightly.

   1 min
7. 7

   Cook until the edges set and the underside browns (about 2–3 minutes), then use a wooden skewer or spoon to turn each paniyaram 180° so the uncooked side faces down. Press gently into the cavity and cook another 3–4 minutes until evenly golden and cooked through. Add small drops of oil between batches as needed.

   Turning quickly and pressing helps form a crispy exterior while keeping the center soft.

   4 min
8. 8

   Transfer cooked paniyarams to a paper towel-lined plate to drain briefly. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve hot with coconut chutney, tomato chutney or sambar.

   They’re best hot — reheat in a skillet to restore crispness if needed.