Ponganaalu

This is another traditional element of South Indian cooking. In Rayalaseema, we call them as Ponganalu / Guntha ponganalu. Also this is a popular breakfast dish from the Konkan regions in the west coast with a different name 'Appe' with slight variations in ingredients.

How I plan my breakfasts is first day dosa and second day ponganam with the same batter.

You can also prepare the batter just for this purpose.

Ingredients goes like this

For the batter
1/2 cup Urad daal (Black gram)
2 cups - Rice

For mixing:
2 Onions - finely chopped
4 -5 green chilli finely chopped
Corriander - fist full
Curry leaves - fist full
Channa daal (Bengal gram) - roasted and soaked in water for 10 min
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Salt
Oil

Method:

Soak them together for 6 hours, grind it into fine paste and allow to ferment for 8 - 10 hours. For the ponganam, you need to have a special pan like this

Ponganala penamu

Mix all the above mentioned ingredients except oil

Batter, Chilli, onion, corriander, curry leaves, cumin and channa daal

Heat the mould with few drops of oil in each pit and pour the batter carefully into each pit and cook it till the outer surface becomes golden colour.

Turn each ponganam upside down using a fork or spoonso as to cook on the other side.

 

Repeat with the remaining batter to make more ponganalu. Serve hot with kobbari podi.

Ponganaalu with Kobbari podi