Chettinad Kuzhi Paniyaram Recipe

Chettinad Kuzhi Paniyaram recipe is made using leftover idli/dosa batter. It’s a quick, easy & a mouth watering snack/breakfast dish from South of India.

I think I am the happiest when I have a South Indian spread for breakfast! It just sets the mood for the day. I guess, it’s because every time I eat this food from South, it brings me closer to my home. Be it weekday or weekend, my mom would include idli/dosa in her menu atleast for one meal of the day. While as a child I used to crib over it, today I miss it the most. Its funny right? There are so many things you despise while growing up. But those memories are so well etched in our minds that we tend to miss it when we grow up! I vividly remember the day we purchased an appe pan. Back then, buying any new appliance for the home was like a mini celebration. All four of us would visit the store and only buy the product if approved by each one of us. Our parents involved us in every little decision which made us feel important and part of the family. My mom wanted to buy this pan and a idli grinder.

We spent a good number of hours in the store choosing one and finally came home with our possessions. After that day, my mom took pride in her already perfect idli/dosa. She would try all possible variations and feed us. We were happy to be her scapegoats. Chettinad Kuzhi Paniyaram was one of the first recipe she tried using the appe pan. It is her mom’s recipe. My grandma owned a cast iron pan unlike the non stick ones we get today. That pan required more oil to cook the paniyaram and I think one needed quite a skill to work with it. My mom would make this dish using leftover idli/dosa batter and usually make it for an evening snack. That was the time for dad to come home from work and all of us would be perpetually hungry by that time of the day. She would make this paniyaram and serve it with her famous coconut chutney – a combination one has to try to understand! 

Since I had seen her make this dish a million times, I knew the recipe by heart. The recipe is super simple. First we need idli/dosa batter made with soaked rice, soaked urad dal and methi seeds. Heat oil in a pan, temper mustard seeds. Once they crackle, add curry leaves, urad dal, green chillies and salt. Fry this for 2 minutes. Add this to the batter and mix. Add chopped onions, cilantro and turmeric powder as well. Heat the appe pan, add a few drops of oil in each mold.  Pour a spoonful of the batter or until 3/4 of the paniyaram mold. Cover the pan and allow the batter to cook for 2-3 minutes on a low or medium flame, turn each paniyaram with a wooden skewer or spoon and cook until crisp, turn once or twice for even cooking if required. Repeat same for rest of batter.

Serve these mouthwatering savory paniyaram as an evening snack along with tea/coffee. Chutney or ketchup makes a great condiment to go along with it. Eating these paniyaram made by mom together as a family in the evenings is one of my favorite memory. This is a light snack that is soft inside and crisp on the outside and is loved by all. Plus a great way to use leftover batter especially if it begins to get sour. You can make this batter ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator. This way, you can make a quick and tasty breakfast or snack instantly. You can even pack them off in lunchboxes and I am sure your kids will love this for a meal. 

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Appe pan is a great asset in the kitchen. One can really get creative with its use. I use it to make fritters, koftas, paniyaram, vadas, etc. Basically anything that is deep-fried can be made in this pan with very little oil in comparison to frying. Rawa Paniyaram in Appe Pan, Cabbage and Onion Pakoda in Appe Pan, Healthy Falafel cooked in appe pan, Paneer Kofta Curry and Chickpea & Black Rice Dumplings in Spinach Sauce Gravy are just some recipes that you can prepare using this wonder pan!