Kara Kuzhi Paniyaram

My 90th recipe "Kara Kuzhi Paniyaram", a easy South Indian breakfast dish to use up your left over Idli batter. Generally I prepare idli batter once every week. The first couple of days when the batter is fresh I make spongy idlis. And then once I am bored with idli, I would use the same batter to prepare dosa.

And by the 4-5 th day I would be left with just a little batter. The batter would have started becoming sour and I would also not have enough batter to prepare dosas. I always end up with this situation and this Kara Kuzhi Paniyaram is my goto recipe on such occasions, just like how my mom and MIL have been doing all these years.

This Kuzhi Paniyaram tastes delicious and it looks as cute as it tastes. Slightly golden and crispy on the outside and soft, spongy and tangy inside. With a little spicy (kara) chutney by the side, You can never keep count of how many you have ate. It just keeps disappearing from the plate to the tummy 🙂 For making Kuzhi Paniyaram you would need a special pan with holes in it. While my mom and MIL use a traditional one made with cast iron, I always use a Non-Stick pan so that I can go light on oil. 

Kara Kuzhi Paniyaram

Kuzhi Paniyaram

Revathi Palani

Kara Kuzhi Paniyaram is quick & easy South Indian breakfast dish made using leftover idli /dosa batter. This chettinadu receive is best served with chutney.

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Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 10 mins

Total Time 15 mins

Course Breakfast

Cuisine Indian

Servings 14

Ingredients

  

• Oil - As needed
• Mustard - ¼ tsp
• Broken urad dal - ½ tsp
• Jeera - ¼ tsp
• Curry leaves - 5 leaves Roughly Chopped
• Green chilli - 1 Chopped
• Onion - ½ medium Finely chopped
• Salt - a pinch As needed
• Idli Batter - 1 Cup

Instructions

 

• Heat a pan with 1 tsp oil, add the mustard and once it splutters add the broken urad dal and jeera. Let the urad dal turn golden brown. Now add the curry leaves, green chilli, onion, salt and saute till onion turns translucent. Turn off the flame.
  
   
• Now add this prepared tempering to the idli batter in a mixing bowl and mix well.
  
   
• Now heat the paniyaram pan with some oil in each hole and fill with prepared batter in each of them and cook in low-medium flame till the side turns golden brown. Now flip the paniyaram using the paniyaram spatula or spoon and cook until they are fully done. Check by inserting a toothpick in the center and it should come out clean, with no raw batter sticking to it.
  
   
  
   
  
   
• Transfer to the serving plate and enjoy hot with any spicy chutney.
  
  
  

Notes | FAQ

- Using 3-4 days old idli batter which is little sour will give best taste to the paniyaram.

- Optionally, You can add a pinch of baking soda/eno fruit salt to get the paniyaram even fluffy.

- You can use red shallots/ Small onion / Red pearl onion instead of red onion.

- Optionally, you can add grated coconut for an extra flavor.

- As the batter is already salted, we add salt only for tempering. So add salt carefully. A small pinch should be sufficient.

- Even though using non-stick paniyaram pan, adding generous amount of oil will help the paniyaram to crisp up and achieve the best taste.