We are starting 3rd week of Cooking Carnival today and I chose another very broad category, Vegetables, as my theme. To make it a little more interesting, I’m going to post Snacks that are made with vegetables or that include vegetables under this theme. First up are these ponganalu/ paniyaram with vegetables.
Paniyaram/ Ponganalu:
These little pillowy lentil balls are typically made with either dosa or idli batter. They are low fat alternative to deep fried pakoras because they are made in a special pan called paniyaram/ aebleskiver pan. This pan has small cavities and uses much less oil than deep frying. Pan can be bought online or in a well stocked Indian grocery store. Traditional ponganalu are made with sauteed onions and flavored with ginger and curry leaves. Today’s recipe for mixed vegetable paniyaram has finely chopped veggies added into the batter to add both color and nutrition to the dish. Recipe is inspired from a Telugu cooking show and it seemed like a great way to add veggies to diet.
Main ingredients in Mixed Vegetable Paniyaram:
Either idli batter or dosa batter can be used. Make sure that the batter is brought to room temperature before adding the veggies.Veggies - any and all of your favorite veggies can be added to the batter. If you are concerned that the veggies won’t soften after cooking, then make sure to chop them very fine. I added finely chopped green beans, peppers, carrot and onion.
Quick & Easy South Indian Breakfast:
These vegetable ponganalu are very quick and easy to make. It is a delicious 30 minute breakfast or as a quick snack. Simply chop the veggies finely and add them to the idli/ dosa batter. Mix well and cook. Serve with your favorite chutney.
