Punugulu | Andhra Special Tea-Time Snack

               Punugulu | Andhra Special Tea-Time Snack

      Punugulu are much loved Andhra special teatime snack and favourite local street snack of Andhra. The local street food of Andhra is fried, crispy and often includes bhajji, garelu, punugulu, bonda, etc,. In Andhra, mostly at evening, in almost every street you can see a street vendor selling these piping hot snacks. People love to stop for a minute and grab these hot snacks while returning to home from work or some stand by to have a quick bite before they start to home.

    There are many different pungu (singular) recipes available. But the one I am sharing with you is easy and can be made in no time. These are lil’M’s favourite after school treat like mine. You can use leftover dosa batter in making these punugulu. Sometimes I add chopped green chillies, onions and cumin seeds to the batter, before frying. Punugulu are golden and crisp outside, soft and spongy inside. These are often served hot with chutney or podi or pickle. Sometimes we use to eat them as a side dish with sambar and rice. Do try it and let me know….

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup Dosa batter

½ tbsp. fine Semolina

2 tbsp. Rice flour

Salt, as per taste

Oil for deep frying

PREPARATION:

1.In a bowl add dosa batter and whisk in semolina, rice flour and salt. Whisk till the batter is smooth and without any lumps. Cover and set aside for 15 minutes.

2.In the meantime, heat enough oil in a heavy bottom cooking vessel (kadai) on high till it turns hot.

3.Drop a small ball of batter into the oil, if it sizzles and raises to top, then oil is hot enough to fry our punugulu.

4.Reduce the flame to medium. Wet your fingers with water, pinch in small ball of batter and carefully drop it in the hot oil. You can even use a small spoon to drop the batter into the oil.

5.You can add 4-5 at a time, depending on the size of the vessel. Don’t overcrowd. (Don’t get panic, if the balls get stick to each other, using a slotted ladle you can easily separate them.)

6.Leave the balls for a minute and start turning on all sides till they are evenly cooked.

7.Once they turn golden and crisp, carefully remove from the oil and place them on a kitchen tissue.

8.Repeat and complete the batter. Serve hot with chutney or podi or pickle.

NOTE:

1.The dosa batter should be thick. You can even add chopped green chillies, chopped onions, cumin to the batter before frying.

2.Always fry on medium heat and keep turning. Ensure the inside is cooked well too.

                                                                                                                 Thank You,Readers!