Steamed Toor Dal Dumpling

Kandi Pappu Aviri Kudumulu.

Toor dal is soaked with chana dal or moong dal and is ground into coarse paste along with spices and herbs. The mixture is formed into around 2 inch long cylinders and steamed till well cooked. Serve steamed toor dal dumplings with any chuntey.
Makes: around 8 – 10 Togari Nuchchina Unde.

Ingredients:

Toor Dal 1/2 Cup
Chana Dal 1/4 Cup
Grated Fresh Coconut 1/2 Cup
Moong Dal 1 Tbsp
Green Chiles 2 – 3
Black Peppercorns 4
Cumin Seeds 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves 3
Cilantro few Sprigs
Lemon Juice 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder a Pinch
Salt to taste

Method of preparation:

Soak toor dal, chana dal, moong dal in water for 3 – 4 hours.
Refresh in water and strain the soaked dals.
Remove stems, wash and roughly chop green chiles.
Clean, wash and finely chop cilantro and curry leaves.

First grind cumin seeds, black peppercorns into powder using a good blender.
Then add green chiles, soaked dals, fresh coconut, turmeric powder and salt.
Pulse the mixture till its coarsely ground. Don’t add water to the mixture unless extremely necessary.
Remove the ground mixture onto a mixing bowl, add curry leaves, cilantro and lemon juice.
Adjust any seasonings if required and divide the mixture into around 10 portions.

Form each portion into a ball, roll into thick 2 – 3 inch cylinder and lightly flatten the cylinder.
Repeat the same with remaining portions.
Place all the toor dal dumplings on a steamer and steam for 10 – 15 minutes.
Let them stand for around 5 minutes before touching.
Serve togari nuchchina unde with dalia coconut chuntey or any chuntey of your choice.
Notes: Make sure the toor dal is well cooked before removing from steamer.

Suggestions: If toor dal is ground too much, add few tbsps of toor dal in water and coarsely ground with before adding to the other mixture. Making bigger dumplings takes longer to steam.
Variations: You can also steam the ground toor dal mixture halfway and then mix with other spices and steam again till done.
Other Names: Steamed Toor Dal Dumplings, Togari Nuchchina Unde.

Modak

Aviri Kudumulu.

Modak is a sweet dumpling made with rice flour. The stuffing is prepared with freshly grated coconut and jaggery. Both are cooked down along with few condiments till the mixture comes together. The mixture is then stuffed in rice flour dough to form modak.
Makes: around 8 Modak.

Ingredients:

Rice Flour 1 Cup
Jaggery 3/4 Cup
Grated Coconut 1 Cup
Salt to taste
Ghee as required

Method of preparation:

Warm up the ghee and keep aside.

Heat a pan on medium heat, add jaggery and a splash of water.
Let all the jaggery start to melt, stir in grated coconut and cardamom powder.
Let the coconut jaggery mixture cook for few more mintues till the mixture feels sticky to the fingers.
Remove the mixture onto a bowl and let it cool completely.

Sieve the rice flour and keep aside.
Bring to boil a cup of water, add salt, a drop of ghee and rice flour.
Remove from heat and mix well with a spatula.
Let the rice flour dough cool a bit.
Knead the rice flour dough into smooth soft but non sticky dough.

Take a lemon sized portion of the rice flour dough and flatten it.
Flatten the edges a little more than the middle part.
Place the disk on palm of the hand and bring the fingers together to form the disk into a cup.
Make pleats more defined and fill the cup with coconut jaggery mixture.
Use ghee to grease the fingers if the rice flour tends to stick to them.
Bring the top part of cup together carefully and seal it.
Repeat the same with remaining rice flour dough.

Steam the prepared modak for 8 – 10 minutes depending on the size of the modak.
Modak looks shiny and little more transparent when cooked.
Let the modak cool a bit before serving with ghee.
Notes: Make sure to get the dough right.

Suggestions: If the rice flour sticks to the fingers, cook it for few more seconds to let evaporate the moisture a bit.
Variations: You can also add saffron, nutmeg or raisins to the coconut jaggery mixture.
Other Names: Modak, Ukadiche Modak, Modakulu, Aviri Kudumulu.