Tea-time surprise

Tea time surprise

Often, when there is just a cup or two of "dosa" or "idli" batter remaining in the refrigerator, I like to use it up  to make a savoury snack. This recipe is very simple and a change from the usual tea-time snacks. Just add a few condiments to the batter and fry up in a special frying pan and we have nice, spongy, golden brown fried dumplings for tea. These dumplings are even better with fresh fermented dosa/idli batter. I do not know of   any name for this snack, so I call it the tea-time surprise.

"Dosa" or "idli" batter is fermented ground rice and black gram paste, so there is a lot of air naturally present in it. These bubbles create a nice spongy texture and this is what works for "dosa"s or "idli"s or this tea-time surprise! The fresher the fermented batter, more the chances of a softer and spongier dumpling. This is how I make this snack.

Makes 10 to 15 dumplings
Preparation and cooking time : 10 to 15 minutes
  
Ingredients

1. Fermented "idli" or "dosa" batter (a day or two old) - 2 cups
2. Grated or very finely chopped ginger - 1/2 teaspoon
3. Shallots chopped - 1 teapoon
4. Green chillies chopped very fine - 1/2 teaspoon
5. Coconut finely julienned - 1 teaspoon
6. Curry leaves (chopped fine) - 3 or 4 leaves
7. Mustard seeds - 1/4 teaspoon
8. Farina or "rava" or "sooji" or semolina - 1 tablespoon
9. Salt to taste
10. Oil for deep frying
11. Soda-bicarb - a pinch
12. Asafoetida powder - a pinch

Method

1. Add the farina and salt and stir well.

2. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a small frying pan and add the mustard seeds, asafoetida powder, green chillies, coconut juliennes, ginger and chopped curry leaves. The mustard seeds need to pop, the green chillies, coconut pieces, ginger and curry leaves need only to wilt. Take off fire and cool for one minute. Add to the batter.

3. Take the dumpling frying-pan or "unniappam chatti" and heat. Fill each depression with oil.

4. While the oil is getting hot, add the soda-bicarb to the batter (if the batter is a day or two old) and stir very well. Adjust the seasoning.

5. Pour a spoonful of batter reaching upto 3/4 of each depression in the frying-pan. The oil will froth up somewhat and the batter will swell. After all the depressions are filled, lower the flame to medium and cook for about a minute. Turn each dumpling within its depression so that the tops also get cooked. After each dumpling is a nice golden brown, remove carefully from the pan and drain on kitchen paper.

6. Serve hot, either plain or with some chutney or tomato sauce.

Leena's brand new unniappachatti (top facing)

Leena's brand new unniappachatti (bottom facing)

Tea time surprise frying in a chatti

Tips

The dumpling frying-pan or "unniappam chatti" is commonly used  to cook  sweet uniappams. This utensil is found in most Kerala homes.

If I am using freshly fermented batter then I do not add the soda-bicarb, as the batter is already quite thick with tiny bubbles. (Soda bicarb may be added to old batter only, as it will not be as airy as freshly fermented batter.)

Farina gives the dumplings a nice grainy texture.

A little urad dal and/or chana dal may be added in the tempering in step 2, for a more nutty flavour.