Undrallu

What: Steamed Rice Rava Balls
Where: Andhra
When: Vinayaka Chavithi / Ganesh Chaturthi

This month there is going to be a "blogging marathon" here, in a true sense. There will be a new post everyday of this month, which is truly a feat in my standards. :) I don't blog religiously since I see my blog just as a medium for storing recipes. I blog whenever I feel like doing it, sometimes I am excited to do it continuously at a stretch and sometimes I go kaput for weeks. There were of course earlier marathons where I have posted for 4 weeks per month, making it closer to a real marathon. However honestly I have never blogged for a month nonstop and this seems so exciting and challenging at the same time. Thanks Srivalli for being a gracious host and accommodating my wish for a month long marathon. :))

As usual there were set themes for each week of this marathon and the first one is going to be "Ocassions" - the ocassions being anything ranging from themed parties, holidays to religious festivals.We Hindus don't have any dearth of occasions,  especially the latter kind mentioned earlier and the food associated with it. And speaking of religious celebration, here are undrallu served on Ganesha Chaturthi day in Andhra homes.   

Undrallu served with peanut chutney

Undrallu that we are familiar with is a sweet version. They are mandatory "neivedyam" to Lord Ganesha on the festival day in our family but the intriguing part is that no one gets to taste it. It is just thrown over the roof tops of the houses after the puja - neivdyam (worship and offerings) are done or during the evening so that the birds get to eat them. I haven't able to extract the exact reason behind it from the elders though.
Today's post is another version of undrallu, a savory one and is also a part of neivdyam during the festival at many homes. It is a very simple dish to pull through on a festive day and basically a complete contrast to the dishes that are usually associated with festivals. It is not deep fried or loaded with sugar / jaggery and hence a pleasant addition to the neivedyam galore. Basically a non greasy dish that is not spicy and hence can be served to little ones as well. 

Ingredients: (yield 9 balls)
1/2 cup rice rava (homemade or store-bought)
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 Tbsp chana dal / moong dal
1 tsp ghee
Salt to taste

Method:
* Soak chana dal / moong dal for 30 - 60 minutes and drain.
* Heat ghee in a pan and add cumin seeds. When the color starts to change a shade darker, add the dal and fry for few seconds.
* Add 1 & 1/4 cups water to the pan and bring it to a rolling boil.
Slow down the heat, add rice rava and salt to the boiling water. Mix well so that no lumps are formed.

* Cover and cook until the mixture comes together - cooked and dry ( without being watery). Remove the mixture from fire and let it cool for at least five minutes or until you can handle it with bare hands.

* Wet your hands with water and make lemon sized balls out of the cooked rava mixture. Place the balls in a greased container or on a plate, leaving space between them. Steam cook them for about 10 - 12 minutes. I did mine in a pressure cooker without the weight on.

Apart from the festival day, they would be a healthy addition to  breakfast / brunch list on any day. It is usually served with allam pachadi (ginger chutney) since undrallu are not spicy by themselves. Or a peanut / roasted chickpea chutney works as well. 

Check what other marathoners are cooking during this month long marathon.

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