UNDRALLU RECIPE | VINAYAKA CHAVITHI RECIPES

With Ganesh Chaturthi around the corner many south Indian house holds would have already started the preparations for the festival. This is the major festival in south Indian states like Andhra, Karnataka, Tamilnadu and also in Maharashtra.Here in mumbai,the pandals have started their arrangements and even the lord Ganesha was also brought to their respective pandals.It is nice to see the energy of people in Mumbai especially during Ganesh Chaturthi,which is celebrated in a grand manner.

The first and foremost thing that comes in mind if we talk about this festival is Modak/Kudumulu which is Lord Ganesha's favorite.While we mostly prepare steamed version of Modak/Kudumulu with various fillings like coconut,groundnut,sesame,khus khus and cashew nut stuffings for this festival one can even prepare Karida Kadubu which is Deep fried Kadubu/Modak.
Celebrations differ from state to state,I have mentioned in this post about the celebrations and food at my mom's place and the menu is entirely different at my in-laws place.Varieties like Medu vada(Gaarelu),Pulihora,Sweet pongal are common for every festival at my in-laws place(most of Andhra homes) and for Ganesh Chaturthi they add Undrallu, Bellam Kudumulu(rice flour-jaggery discs) in addition to the usual festival menu.My typical menu that day looks like this:- Rice Rava Idli (Nooka Idli) with coconut chutney and Kudumulu for breakfast and for lunch- a sundal variety,one veg stir fry, Kudumulu, one mixed rice variety, steamed toor dal dumplings or deep fried Vade,Majjige Huli and one Payasam variety.
Coming to Undrallu recipe,I wanted to post this one especially for those who are looking for easy recipes for this festival.We add minimum salt to the undrallu recipe and hence it is suitable to serve with either spicy Coconut chutney or any sweet payasam variety like Chana dal payasam or Moong dal payasam and it tastes good either ways.
Check out other important recipes for Vinayaka Chavithi:

• Steamed Kudumulu - with 3 fillings
• Karida Bele Kadubu | Fried Modak
• Bellam Kudumulu | Vella Ammini Kozhukattai
• Paal Kozhukattai | Undralla Payasam
• Puran Poli
• Dry fruit Modak | Kharjur Modak
• Pappulo Undrallu
• Palathalikalu
• Undraalu with Biyyam rava - Andhra recipe
• Avarekaalu Kadubu/Spiced Steamed Rice flour Dumplings
• Chintapandu pulihora - Andhra style

For a complete list of various options for Ganesh Chaturthi menu, check out here.

UNDRALLU RECIPE:
(Serves 2-3)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Rice rava* - recipe given below
1 1/2 cups Water
1 tbsp Chana dal
1 tsp Ghee
1/4 tsp Salt
Method:

• Soak chana dal in water for 30mins.Drain and keep aside.
• Heat ghee in a thick shallow vessel and add drained chana dal and fry for a minute.
• Add measured water(1 1/2 cups) and let it come to a boil.
• Add salt and rice rava and mix well until no lumps are formed.Cover it and cook on low flame for 4-5 mins until the rava is cooked and the mixture is dry with out any water.Switch off the flame.
• Leave it aside to cool down a bit for 10 mins.
• Dip your hands in water and make lemon sized balls out of it and place them in a greased steamer.

• Arrange them in a steamer leaving some gap in between them as they will bulge after steaming.Steam them for 12-15 mins.

Serve them hot with Coconut chutney or any payasam like Chana dal payasam or Moong dal payasam.

*To prepare Rice rava: Clean and Soak the rice for some time and drain it completely and spread over a cloth so that it will drain off excess water and leave it for an hour.Grind it to a coarse rava in whipper mode and then sieve it.Use the rava which is in sieve and the flour that it is sieved can be used for dosas or regular rice flour.
Rice rava can also be prepared directly by grinding it in the mixer in whipper mode and sieve it.
Notes:

1. You can even add soaked moong dal along with chana dal in the recipe.
2. As I made a neutral version which is good to serve with savory chutney as well as sweet payasam.If you want to serve only with savory chutney you can even add cumin seeds even before add chana dal in the tempering.Also increase the salt according to your requirement.

This entry goes to Priti's event for Ganesh Chaturthi - 'Festive Food' which she is hosting exclusively for the Ganesh festival celebrations.Do send your entries to her event.