Uppu and Vella Seedai/ Salt and Sweet Fried Rice Balls

Today is Krishna Janmashtami (meaning birthday of Lord Krishna). It is celebrated already in other part of India, but in Kerala, it is on August 10^th as they are following lunar calendar. Amma used to make lots of special dishes and we sisters used to enjoy it starting from the time she would start making the dishes. Amma will do Pooja (offerings), and we all wait patiently for her to finish, so that we can get more goodies.  Amma   was very particular to do the Pooja at 12: 00   in the night (the time of birth of Lord Krishna) so we have to wait until she finishes the Pooja. However my grandma was not like that and would do the Pooja earlier. So we liked grandma and after lunch time she would start cooking for the God’s offerings. It will be Seedai, Muruku, Appam, SweetenedAval and a Payasam. I had tried Seedai using homemade rice powder; however the fried balls become fried powder. I had to throw oil and rest of dough into garbage can. 

But yesterday evening, I got an urge to make it.  I told my hubby that I am making something, so please watch the babies. He did it as usual.  I pulled out the rice flour I had bought recently along with jaggery (unrefined sugar) from the pantry. I roasted and ground the urad dal (black gram) in coffee grinder.  I started by making the Sweet fried balls first.  According to a recipe I found on Internet, the recipe indicated the use of 1 cup of water for 1 cup of Jaggery and 1 cup rice flour. When I started mixing the rice flour, roasted urad dal flour, desiccated coconut and roasted white sesame seeds, it required only ½ cup of jaggery water and was left with ½ cup jaggery water.  I made smooth dough and pinched small balls from the dough and fried it in the medium hot oil.  I was curiously waiting for any bursting episode after putting two –three dough balls in hot oil. Luckily nothing happen, and then waiting for taste testing. As it is hot while taking out oil, I have wait for 5 minutes.  After having the first bite I know it is tasty, then given it to hubby and princess for taste testing, both of them liked it.  I used two tablespoon of desiccated coconut since I am a coconut lover, however skipped frying the desiccated coconut prior to addition as I was lazy to do that. It didn’t comprise the taste though. 

Then with successful completion of a batch of sweet fried balls, I decided to try salt version. I then started mixing the rice flour, fried urad dal flour, salt, butter, coconut and water to form smooth dough and pinch small balls and fried it in high medium hot oil for about 7 minutes, to get uppu seedai or salty fried rice balls. 

My princess is eating both Salt and Sweet Fried Rice Balls the entire night, and skipped her dinner. I was so excited that I even called my dad and told him that I successfully made seedai.  I asked him if I can make seedai without any bursting or cracking then am I a good cook? He agreed with me that I am a good cook. I know he agree with me as I am his daughter. 

I am planning to make muruku also. I will see if it happens, but for the time being enjoy Uppu and Vella Seedai. I still don’t understand a newborn Lord Krishna can eat all these; maybe it is because he is God. So friends try it without any fear. Here goes the recipe. 

First grab your ingredients, for both ingredients like rice flour, ( if you want to make homemade rice flour check here)   butter, roasted urad dal flour dessicated coconut,  sesame seeds  are same  for vella seedai/sweet one you need jaggery for salt version you need salt. 

For making roasted urad dal flour  you first dry roast the urad dal and grind it into fine powder using coffee grinder.

 Then start making vella seedai  dissolve jaggery first and strain for impurities and then make a smooth dough with rice flour, roasted urad dal flour and sesame seeds, dessicated coconut and butter.  After a resting period of 25 minutes pinch  dough into small  balls of ping pong size and fry it in medium hot oil until they become dark brown in color. It takes about 3 minutes.  Drain it in kitchen tissue for removing extra oil and enjoy as warm. 

Fo uppu seedai

In a medium bowl mix rice flour, roasted urad dal flour,  sesame seeds, butter,  2 tablespoon of dessicated coocnut , salt and gradually add hot water to form a smooth dough. Set aside for 30 minutes. Then pinch small portion of dough to make small marble sized balls, balls should smaller than what you made for vella seedai.  Fry them in  medium hot oil for about 7 minutes or until they become golden  brown in color. 

Enjoy as much you want. 

Once both vella seedai and uppu seedai cooled  store them in airtight container. They should remain crisp for about one week. 

Vella seedai

Uppu seedai

                                                        

 Print recipe

Uppu Seedai and Vella Seedai: Salt and Sweet Fried Rice Balls.
by Swathi  @ Zesty South Indian Kitchen

Preparation time: 1 hour  30 minutes

Cook time: 45 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients

  For Vella sedai/Sweet fried rice balls

• 1cup rice flour ( I used store bought one) If you want to make homemade one check here
• 2 tablespoon  Roasted urad dal/Black gram  flour
• 2 tablespoon dessicated coconut
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
• ½ cup  Jaggery
• 1/2  hot water
• 4 cup of canola  oil for frying

   Directions

• In a saucepan boil  1 cup of water.  when water starts boiling add jaggery and set aside for 30-40 minutes.  Once jaggery is dissolved  strain the jaggery water for impurities and set aside.
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• In a skillet lightly roast  the  rice flour for 2 minutes and set aside.

• In a medium bowl add rice flour, roasted urad dal flour, butter, Jaggery water,  sesame seeds, desiccated coconut and gradually add boiled water and make smooth dough. and set aside for 25 minutes.

• Heat  oil  a deep bottom pan/ kadai  until it  is smoking hot.  To test oil is ready just pinch a small dough  and put into the  oil if it comes back  immediately then  oil is ready.

• While oil is heating pinch  out small dough into size of small marble  size balls slightly bigger than those you made for uppu seedai and set aside. Make sure to make balls by less tightly rolling the dough. Not make perfect round shape. Keep it outside for about 20 minutes, this will  help the dough to dry out bit. and helps them to not bursting in oil.  If you have time gradually prick the each individual balls  before putting them into the oil. I didn’t do that step.

• Then gradually  put the small balls into the hot oil, you can fry about 15 nos at a stretch.

• Flip the balls occasionally to  get uniform heating, fry the balls until  noise of oil subsides and  it become golden brown. It takes about 3 minutes in medium hot flame. Makes sure to try first batch with few balls whether there is any bursting or cracking experience.  Once cooked remove from oil using a slotted spoon and drain extra oil using a kitchen tissue.

• Enjoy as much you wish.

     For uppu sedai/Salt fried rice balls

• 1cup rice flour ( I used store bought one) If you want to make homemade one check here
• 2 tablespoon  Roasted urad dal/Black gram  flour
• 2 tablespoon dessicated coconut
• 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
• ½ teaspoon of salt or to taste
• 1/2 +1/8 cup of  hot water
• 4 cup of canola  oil for frying

      Directions

• In a saucepan boil  1 cup of water.  when water starts boiling set aside.

• In a skillet lightly roast  the  rice flour for 2 minutes and set aside.

• In a small skillet dry roast ¼ cup of urad dal  until it changes color to  golden brown for about 3 minutes and set aside. When it cool enough to touch grind into fine powder using coffee grinder. and set aside.

• In a medium bowl add rice flour, roasted urad dal flour, butter, salt, sesame seeds, desiccated coconut and gradually add boiled water and make smooth dough. and set aside for 25 minutes.

• Heat  oil  a deep bottom pan/ kadai  until it  is smoking hot.  To test oil is ready just pinch a small dough  and put into the  oil if it comes back  immediately then  oil is ready. .
• While oil is heating pinch  out small dough into size of small marble size balls and set aside. Make sure to make balls by less tightly rolling the dough. Not make perfect round shape. Keep it outside for about 20 minutes, this will  help the dough to dry out bit. and helps them to not bursting in oil.  If you have time gradually prick the each individual balls  before putting them into the oil. I didn’t do that step.

• Then gradually  put the small balls into the hot oil, you can fry about 10 nos at a stretch.  Once they cooked remove from the oil  using a slotted spoon and keep it in kitchen tissue for extra removal of oil from it.

• Flip the balls occasionally to  get uniform heating, fry the balls until  noise of oil subsides and  it become golden brown. It takes about 7 minutes in medium hot flame. Makes sure to try first batch with few balls whether there is any bursting or cracking experience.

• Enjoy as much you wish.

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Variations

• You can use cumin seeds instead of sesame seeds in uppu seedai

Sending  Vella seedai to

Tangy Mind's event Know your natural sweetness: Jaggery  originally started by

Jagruti's Cooking Odyssey