Punugulu (పునుగులు)

Punugulu are beloved Andhra Pradesh street snacks — crispy, puffed balls made from urad dal and rice batter (the same fermented base used for idli and dosa) deep-fried to a light, airy crunch. The fermentation gives them a subtle tang that pairs perfectly with fiery gunpowder chutney or cool coconut dip. They transform leftover dosa batter into something completely new.

Serves: 4 (makes approximately 20 punugulu)

Ingredients

Batter

• 300g (10 oz / 1½ cups) idli or dosa batter (fermented, see Cook's Notes)
• 2 tbsp (20g) semolina (rava/sooji) — for extra crunch
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 2 green chillies, finely chopped
• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 8 fresh curry leaves, finely shredded
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• Salt to taste
• Oil for deep-frying

To serve

• Peanut chutney or coconut chutney
• Tomato-onion relish

Instructions

1. If making batter from scratch: soak 200g urad dal and 600g parboiled rice separately for 6 hours. Grind urad dal to a very fine, fluffy batter, then grind rice more coarsely. Combine, add 1 tsp salt, and ferment in a warm place 8–12 hours until doubled and bubbly.
2. In a bowl, combine fermented batter with semolina, onion, chillies, ginger, curry leaves, coriander, cumin, and salt. Mix well. The batter should be thick enough to drop in rounds — if too thin, add 1–2 tbsp rice flour.
3. Heat oil in a deep kadai or wok to 180°C (355°F).
4. Drop tablespoon-sized portions of batter directly into the hot oil using a wet spoon. Work in batches of 6–8. They will sink, then float to the surface and begin to puff.
5. Fry 3–4 minutes, turning occasionally, until uniformly golden brown and crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
6. Serve immediately while piping hot with peanut chutney.

Cook's Notes: Good punugulu depend entirely on well-fermented batter — the air bubbles from fermentation make them puff and stay light inside. Pre-made idli/dosa batter from an Indian grocery works perfectly. Leftover batter that has fermented an extra day produces the best results.