Indian cuisine is renowned for its diverse food categories, with snacks being significant. During festivals, alongside elaborate festive meals, we prepare a variety of snacks, both savory and sweet, called bakshanams. Seedai is one such delightful recipe. Here’s how you can make this delicious seedai using store-bought rice flour. Uppu Seedai is a traditional South Indian snack popular in Tamil Nadu. It’s a savory, crispy ball-shaped snack made primarily from rice flour and urad dal flour. The name “Uppu Seedai” literally translates to “salted seedai” in Tamil, indicating that it is a salted version of the seedai.
The festival of Janmashtami
Krishna Janmashtami, also known as Krishnashtami, Janmashtami, or Gokulashtami, is an annual Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu. This festival is celebrated in various ways across different regions of India. In our household, we draw small footprints from the entryway to the pooja room, symbolizing Krishna’s arrival as an infant. We offer fruits, especially jamun and butter, and prepare aval/poha-based dishes like vella aval and thayir aval, as well as snacks like seedai. Now, let’s get straight into the recipe and all the details.
Ingredients required
Urad dal flour: As explained below, you’ll need one tablespoon of urad dal flour. Cumin seeds, asafoetida, chana dal, and sesame seeds: These ingredients enhance flavor and act as fillers, helping to prevent the seedai from bursting. Butter: Use softened butter at room temperature—not melted or cold. Oil: I prefer coconut oil for frying, which adds a distinctive flavor. However, you can use groundnut oil or any neutral-flavored oil. Additional ingredients: You’ll also need salt and water. Please refer to the recipe card for exact measurements.
Preparing homemade urad dal flour
Many traditional snacks, or bakshanams, require urad dal flour, so I like to make a good amount in advance for various recipes. Here’s how I make it: Roasting:
Heat a wide pan or kadai, and add the urad dal.
Roast the dal until it turns golden and releases a nutty aroma. Be sure to stir continuously for even roasting.
Cooling: Immediately transfer the roasted dal to a plate and let it cool completely.
Grinding: Once cooled, grind the urad dal into a fine powder. Sieve the flour, and if there are any coarse particles, grind them again until the flour is smooth.
Storing: Store the flour in an airtight container. You can make thattai, murukku, seedai, and other snacks. You can also use it to make dangar pachadi.
VVK Tip: Promptly transfer the urad dal to a plate after roasting. If left in the pan, especially a heavy-bottomed one, the residual heat may cause the dal to continue cooking and darken in color.
Dietary specifications & yield
Uppu Seedai is naturally nut-free. You can either omit the asafoetida or use gluten-free asafoetida for a gluten-free version. I haven’t tested this recipe with vegan butter alternatives, so I can’t guarantee the results for a vegan option. The following measurements yield approximately 50 seedai. If you make them slightly smaller, you can get around 60. After frying, allow the seedai to cool completely before storing them in an airtight container.
How to make uppu seedai
Prep work:
Roast the rice flour on low heat for two minutes. Do not let it change color. This step helps remove moisture from the flour; after roasting, immediately transfer it to a plate.
Sieve the rice flour and urad dal flour to remove any lumps. Soak the chana dal in ½ cup of water for a minimum of 15 mts.
Prepare the dough:
Add the rice flour, urad dal flour, cumin seeds, asafoetida, white sesame seeds, salt, and butter in a large mixing bowl.
Mix well until it becomes crumbly.
Now add the soaked chana dal and mix.
Slowly add water and knead it into a soft, smooth dough. It should not stick to the vessel and knead the dough like a big ball.
Shape the seedai:
Rub your palm with coconut oil, make small gooseberry balls out of the dough, and keep it aside. Roll the balls gently, and it’s okay to have small cracks.
Place the rolled balls on a dry cloth or plate. Let them sit for about 10-15 minutes to dry a little.
Fry the seedai:
Remove them using a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel to remove excess oil.
Repeat with the remaining dough balls.
Cool and store:
Allow the seedai to cool completely before storing them in an airtight container.
Recipe Notes
Frequently asked questions
More savory Indian snacks
Follow me on Instagram or join my Facebook Group for more gardening and recipe updates. If you try this uppu seedai recipe, please don’t forget to comment and rate this recipe. Please comment if you have any questions, and I will get to it ASAP. Follow me on my Pinterest for more healthy and delicious idea. Why does seedai burst? Understanding the cause makes the process much easier. Since seedai involves deep-frying small dough balls, if there is any amount of moisture or dust, or if the dough is too tight, pressure can build up inside the ball. When it reaches a maximum threshold, the seedai can burst. By following these steps, you can easily avoid this issue:
📖 Recipe
Update notes – This recipe was originally published on August 2014. Now updated with video, new pictures, recipe card and nutrition information.
