Avarekallu Kadubu/Regi undralla gugillu (Rice flour balls Avarekallu Snack) ....FFF#10

This is the 9th week of my ongoing series Cooking with Family-Family Food Friday and if you have missed any of the previous posts in this series,check them here.

This week's post is sent to me by my cousin 'Savitha' who had sent Mosaru Kodubale earlier.I had heard a lot about this dish from my aunt that this is a very famous recipe at savitha's place.Hence I requested her to send this entry for me and she was kind enough to agree to send this in spite of her busy schedule.She had even surprised me with the step-by-step pictures and I am really thankful to her for that.My mom prepares a similar version to this called 'Methi Kadabu' and this version is new even to me and I am really looking for fresh avarekallu season to try this.

This recipe does not have any fixed name as it is called with different names in different regions such as 'Kadubu' or 'Undrallu' or 'Seedai'.I have seen similar recipes in several blogs and I think every region has its own way of making it with few changes.In North Karnataka these are called kadabu and they do a variation with it and is mainly with methi and hence it is called 'Menthi kadabu' and in Tamilnadu this is called 'Seedai/Kozhukottai' which is tempered rice balls.I can say this version is native to Bangalore and is made with fresh avarekallu and hence I named it as 'Avarekallu Kadubu'.The preparation is quite elaborate and it definitely tests your patience and if you are making it for the first time,please be patient while making it and also start with smaller quantity.As I have tasted the other version I can say these taste absolutely delicious and is really worth the effort you had put in.This can be had as breakfast or snack,if you are making this for breakfast you need to have lots of patience as you have to make more quantity.

Rice flour plays a very important role in most of our community style breakfast dishes at my place,if you have observed the entries for this series half of them are based on either rice flour or rice rawa.We usually stack a big container of rice flour in our pantry and also we consume it more like wheat flour.You can check the rice flour breakfast varieties like Uttha Rotti, Akki Rotti, Bilavalige(rice flour Chapathi),Vadappam(rice flour poori), Mosaru Kodubale(Curd-rice flour rings),Billakudumu(rice rava tikkis) in my blog.
Ingredients:

for Rice Flour Marbles:
1 cup Rice flour
2 cups water
2 tsp oil
1/2 tsp salt

for Seasoning:
1/2 Cup avarekallu (Lilva/hyacinth/mochai)
1/2 cup grated fresh cocunut
1/4 cup chopped coriander
1 tsp green chili Paste
1 tsp lemon Juice(or to taste)
1/4 tsp mustard Seeds
1/4 tsp jeera/cumin seeds
1/2 tsp chana dal
1/2 tsp urad dal
2-3 tsp oil
a pinch of hing
Salt to taste

Method:

Making of tiny rice flour Balls:

• In a vessel, add water, salt and oil and let it come to a boil.
• After it boils, reduce the heat and add rice flour. At this point don't touch the rice flour, leave it as it is for exactly 15 mins over medium heat.

• Switch off the flame and using a ladle mix it well until you get it into a smooth consistent dough (as shown in the picture). Once it cools a bit,you can use your hand at the end to knead into a smooth dough as shown in picture.
• Take an empty vessel and apply oil on its base and edges.

• Take some dough in your hand, and using your fingers make small balls as shown in picture (the smaller the balls, the better the taste.it all depends on your patience).If the dough keeps sticking to you hand, smear little oil to your fingers to continue making the balls.This is the most time consuming process but the end product makes you forget all the pain you have taken while making it.
• After you finish making all the balls, place the vessel in a pressure cooker without any lid on the vessel. Do sprinkle one or two tea spoons of oil on the top of the balls and steam it for 10-15 min without using a weight (like you would make idly).
• Once the pressure drops open the cooker and place the vessel aside. You should be seeing shiny balls as shown in the picture.

Boil Averekallu:

• Boil avarekallu either in microwave or on stove top until it becomes tender and soft. Drain all the water and keep them aside.

Seasoning Part:

• Take oil in a pan, after the oil heats up, add mustard seeds and let the, splutter, add urad and chana dal until golden brown, add jeera, hing and green chili paste.

• Add boiled avarekallu and mix it well for 2min.
• Add rice balls from the vessel and mix it well in medium heat for about 5min.

• Finally switch off the stove and add lemon juice, coconut and cilantro and mix it well.

Serve it hot and enjoy the snack!