Punugulu, often Punukulu, is a traditional deep-fried snack from Andhra Pradesh. Crispy, chewy and soft Punugulu are trendy street food, and you’ll be able to find fresh punugulu in the street in Andhra Pradesh & Telangana. In this blog post, I show the recipe for making delicious punugulu yourself at home using scratch. You could follow my recipe if you already have dosa and dosa batter.
About Punugulu
Punugulu was developed on the coasts comprising Andhra Pradesh and produced in most Telugu living areas. The traditional method is to soak and crush rice and lentils to create a thick batter.
It is then fermented and mixed with chilies green along with cumin seeds and ginger to give a variety of flavors. For added flavor and texture, freshly chopped onions are to be added.
A portion of the fluffy and thick batter is then gently dropped into the hot oil. The batter is then cooked into round, crispy pieces, which are yummy and addictive. Punugulu is served with Chutney.
They can also be made immediately using the leftover dosa batter. Most Telugu-spoken people prepare these using leftover fermented dosa-idli batter because they taste sweet and tangy.
Although Punugulu can be prepared using rice and lentils or simply white flour (refined flour), the traditional version uses raw rice and urad dal. The maida version has a lot of similarities with Karnataka Goli Baje and Mysore bondsa but with some variations.
We also cook the abovementioned dishes using green grams (mung beans) and only using urad daal, using the Medu Vada batter. Every one of them tastes so distinct.
If you’re attempting these for the first time, read my expert suggestions below.
How do you create Punugulu?
- For making these, you’ll have to use 2 cups of leftover dosa or idli batter or create a new batter. If you’re making the leftover batter, scroll to the bottom and begin with step 4. If you are making the new batter, wash and soak 1 cup of urad dal and 3/4 cup of rice for no less than four hours.
- Cleanse the dal thoroughly and then add it to the grinder in a jar. Add half a teaspoon of cumin seeds and two or more green chilies. If these are for your children, removing the chilies and adding the chopped chilies in the future is possible. Add 3 tablespoons of water. Mix this mixture into a thick batter. Place this in the bowl.
- Rinse the rice that has been soaked and rinse off the excess water. Put the rice into the grinder. Make a delicate batter. Mix the batter with the batter for urad dal thoroughly. Sprinkle salt according to suit your tastes. You can make this batter ferment for up to six hours if you wish.
- Examine the consistency right now. It should be thicker and of a drop in consistency. See the picture below. This is the correct consistency.
Optional Step If the batter is too runny, add 2 tbsp of poha or attukulu and combine it well into the batter, creating the batter lump-free. Set aside for 10 mins. You can also use two tablespoons of semolina or rice flour to make the batter thicker. The ones that are made using poha taste soft and crispy. Then adjust the consistency of the batter should you need to add just a little water. Test by mixing 1 to 2 punugulu. If they’re not easy, make sure to add a little water.
Fry the Punugulu
- In the batter, add 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds (skip the seeds if they were added to the batter during grinding). If you would like, add half a cup of chopped green chilies chopped as well as 3/4 teaspoon of ginger to the batter. Mix well and test it to determine the salt.
- In a medium-low flame, make the oil hot in a kadai for deep-frying. Verify the oil is sufficiently hot by dropping a quarter teaspoon of batter. It will sizzle before coming upwards to the level of the. It is at the correct temperature. Make the batter into circular balls using your hands, and then drop them in warm oil. Be sure to avoid touching the batter for several minutes. After that, mix them using a long spoon, and cook them until crisp and golden.
Transfer the punugulu onto a cooling rack or a steel colander. Serve hot, along with Chutney. It was served with garlic Chutney. Coconut Chutney, Ginger Chutney, and Tomato chutney can also be used.
Pro Tips
There are no specific guidelines that must be followed when making the batter. It must, however, be thick, not fluid and spongy. It can be prepared with freshly ground batter or leftover idli dosa batter fermented.
Most people like them when made with sour batter because the cakes are slightly tart. Most of the time, I prepare them using freshly made batter.
It is possible to make them essential with cumin, chilies, or green chilies. I prefer adding chopped onions, chilies and coriander, and cumin leaves.
The correct consistency of the batter is essential in creating punukulu, which is crisp and not oily. It should not be too thick, and it shouldn’t be too thin. Thicker batter will make fritters hard and brittle, whereas the thin, runny batter also creates oily and soggy cakes.
People often add small amounts of semolina or rice flour if the batter is thin. My personal experience shows that the batter becomes hard after adding rice flour is included.
When using semolina, the cakes become flat and don’t absorb the water in the batter. Therefore, I typically use atukulu or poha. Add the powder and some to the batter to make it more consistent. The result is super crispy and soft.
Ingredients (Us Cup = 240ml )
- 2 cups dosa idli batter (thick or 1/4 cup of urad daal and 3/4 cup of raw rice)
- 2 tablespoons semolina or poha and the rice flour (optional)
- Salt according to taste If needed, but only when
- oil for deep-frying as required
- 2 chilies cut into pieces
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 3/4 teaspoon of ginger (grated or omitted)
Cooking Steps & Instructions
Bake batter to make Punugulu
- You may skip steps 1-5 when using the batter for idli dosa. Rinse the rice and urad Dal at a time until the water is like it is clear.
- Let them soak for at least 4 hours in a separate container. After that, drain and wash the rice and dal. Put the dal in a food processor with 3-4 tablespoons of water. You may also add green chilies or cumin in the grinding process at this point or mix them into the batter later before making the batter for frying.
- Blend dal into a dense batter. Make sure it is thick enough. Transfer it to the mixing bowl.
- Make a smooth and somewhat coarse batter, and add water as needed. Mix well with the batter for dal. Be sure to check the consistency; it must be firm and drop-like.
- You can make the batter ferment for up to six hours if you wish. It is not required.
How do you create Punugulu?
- If the batter is too runny If the batter is runny, you can add poha powdered attukulu, rice flour, or semolina. Place it on the counter for 10 minutes. The consistency becomes denser once it’s submerged. Adjust the consistency depending on your needs; you can use a little water or leave it as is if it is satisfactory. Make small patties. If they’re not pliable, you’ll have to increase the water you use.
- Incorporate cumin, chopped chilies, onion, ginger, and cumin into the batter.
- The oil is heated in a kadai over medium heat.
- Drop a tiny portion of the batter in the hot oil for testing. The batter should bubble and then rise onto the top of the oil. However, it should not sink. That is the ideal temperature.
- Form the batter into rounds using your fingertips and then drop them into the hot oil.
- Be sure to avoid stirring them around for at least a few minutes. After that, using a slotted spoon, mix and cook until the punugulu is golden and crispy. Transfer the punugulu onto a cooling rack or colander of stainless steel.
- Serve them hot and served with your favorite Chutney.
How do you make maida punugulu?
- Combine 3/4 cup of maida 3 tbsp rice flour 3 tablespoons curd, 1 green chili, one small onion 1/2 teaspoon. Chopped ginger, as much salt as you need, and 1/4 tsp soda. Keep this mixture in the fridge in the refrigerator for 30 to 45 minutes.
- In a pan, heat oil. Drop portions of the batter into the hot oil. Fry until the batter is golden.
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