Sukhiyan

Sukhiyan

A deep fried tradition snack / also Naadan Palaharam in Kerala cuisine, made of green gram (cherupayar), coconut – jaggery filling. Basic recipe from Vanitha and Nammude naadan palaharangal.

Makes: 12

Ingredients

1/2 cup / 100 ml cherupayar (Green gram) Indian standard measuring cup of 100 ml / 4 oz capacity

1 cup / 200 ml water (to soak cherupayar)

Method

Wash and soak cherupayar in 1 cup (200 ml) water for 6 hours and pressure cook (water level should be ¼ - inch above soaked cherupayar) for 2 quick whistles. More than 2 whistles will over cook cherupayar. Switch off the heat and allow the cooker to cool naturally. It will be thick in consistency (or drain out excess cooked water).

Other ingredients

1 tablespoon ghee

8 – 10 tablespoon melted and sieved jaggery (or to taste)

5 tablespoon grated coconut

Boiled green gram

2 pinches cardamom powder

300 ml oil for frying

Method

In a wide frying pan, heat ghee on a medium heat. Add jaggery and fry for 2 - 3 minutes or till fragrant / melts. Add boiled thick cherupayar, mix it well and fry for 5 minutes on a low heat. Do not cover with lid. Add grated coconut and mix it well and fry for 3 minutes / water dries up / fragrant. It should be thick in consistency (like modak filling). Sprinkle cardamom powder and keep aside to cool for 10 minutes.

Divide this cherupayar - coconut - jaggery mixture into 10 - 12 equal portions. Make into lemon sized balls. Keep aside. Color of the filling may varies from the color of the jaggery (light yellow / dark yellow and brown ..)

For Rice flour batter:

Please use same measuring to cup measure rice flour and water.

100 ml / 1/2 cup rice flour ( orva pitti / ari podi ) Indian standard measuring cup of 100 ml / 4 oz capacity or 100 ml / 1/2 cup maida

2 tablespoon maida (all purpose flour) or 2 tablespoon rice flour

2 pinches salt

100 to 125 ml water

Method

In a bowl, mix rice flour , maida and salt. Make a fine batter with 100 – 125 ml water. Batter should not be very thick in consistency. It should be of dropping consistency (like bajji batter).  Keep aside for 15 minutes.

Final stage of deep frying:

Heat oil in a deep kadai / frying pan. Reduce heat to medium (please wait for 1 minute. Otherwise batter will get dark brown color immediately) and dip each cherupayar – jaggery – coconut ball into rice flour batter  or maida batter and deep fry in batches ( 4 - 5 sukhiyan at a time – depending upon the size of the frying pan ) till golden color on both the sides ( approximate frying time 2 - 3 minutes for each side ). Drain out from the oil and place on kitchen towel to absorb extra oil. Serve as a sweet snack.

Sukhiyan (with channa dal / Bengal gram)

Makes: 9

For dal  filling:

1/2 cup ( 100 g ) channa dal

1 1/2 cup water / 300 ml

1/4 teaspoon oil

50 g ( 1/4 cup ) + 1 tablespoon melted jaggery (or to taste)

50 g ( 1/4 cup ) grated coconut

2 pinches cardamom powder

2 teaspoon ghee

300 ml oil for frying

For Rice flour batter:

100 g ( 1/2 cup ) rice flour ( orva pitti / ari podi )

2 tablespoon maida ( all purpose flour )

75 ml ( 3/4 cup ) water

1/4 teaspoon salt

Method

Wash and clean channa dal and boil in a pressure cooker with 1/4 teaspoon oil and 1 1/2 cup / 300 ml water ( reduce heat to medium after 2nd whistle and cook for 20 minutes ). Channa dal mixture should be thick in consistency or drain out excess dal stock ( you can use dal stock to prepare ‘’ Rasam / Sarru ‘’ ).

In a wide frying pan, heat ghee. Add melted jaggery and fry for 2 - 3 minutes or till fragrant. Add cooked thick channa dal mixture (without water) mix it well and fry for 8 minutes on a low heat. Do not cover with lid. Add grated coconut and mix it well and fry for 3 minutes or till you get a thick dal mixture. Sprinkle cardamom powder and keep aside to cool.

For Rice flour batter:

Make a fine batter of rice flour with maida, water and salt. Batter should not be thick in consistency. It should be of dropping consistency. Keep aside.

Divide this channa dal- coconut - jaggery mixture into 9 equal portions. Make into lemon sized balls.

Heat oil in a deep kadai / frying pan. Reduce heat to medium and dip each chana dal ball into rice flour batter and deep fry in batches ( 4 - 5 sukhiyan at a time ) till golden color ( approximate frying time 2 - 3 minutes for each side ). Drain out from oil and serve as a sweet snack.