Undrallu with Allam Pachadi | Video

Undrallu or kudumulu are traditionally made as offering (prasad or neivedhyam) on Ganesh Chathurthi. These steamed rice balls are very easy to make.

Biyyapu rava or rice rava is first cooked and then formed into undralu. They are then steamed until completely cooked. Serve with spicy allam pachadi.

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About the Recipe

Food has a very special place during the festival season in India. There are some specific dishes that are made for specific occasions.

One such are these undrallu aka kudumulu. These steamed rice balls are synonymous with Vinayaka Chavithi in many Telugu households. They can be made either savory or sweet forms.

But in our home, we make savory ones as naivedyam (offering to god) for Lord Vinayaka especially on Ganesh Chathurthi day. Sweet kudumulu are equally delicious.

These savory ones are very easy to make. Recipe needs only 4 ingredients. Since they are steamed, these are also called aviri kudumulu. Traditionally these are served with allam pachadi.

Ingredients

For the details of the exact quantities of each ingredient and the list of ingredients needed, check the printable recipe card below.

Here are the ingredients you need to make undrallu:

• Rice Rava/ cream of rice/ biyyam rawa is the main ingredient you need for this recipe. You can buy it from Indian grocery but it is very easy to make at home as well. Simply grind rice into a coarse powder. It should feel like fine cornmeal. Do not grind it too much. I find it easy to grind small quantities, so I can control the consistency better.
• Chana Dal/ yellow split lentils/ senagapappu
• Cumin seeds/ jeera/ jeelakarra
• Salt

To make allam pachadi (ginger chutney), you need the following:

• fresh ginger
• jaggery - I use jaggery powder, but you can grate the jaggery blocks as well. You can be substitute it with brown sugar or palm sugar.
• tamarind - I use tamarind paste because it is convenient. I have included on how to make your own paste at home below.
• dry red chilies, chana dal, urad dal and cumin seeds

Instructions

For the detailed instructions on how to make the recipe with exact timings, check the printable recipe card below.

Here is how to make undrallu/ kudumulu recipe:

Soak chana dal in water for at least 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Heat oil in a medium size saucepan and add cumin seeds. Once the seeds start to splutter, add the water and bring to a boil on medium high heat. Once the water comes to a boil, add salt, soaked & drained chana dal and lower the heat to medium-low.

Add rice rava gradually in a slow stream while continuously whisking the water to make sure that there are no lumps.

Cover and cook until the mixture thickens and looks like a porridge or upma. Consistency should be neither too wet (if this is the case cook a little longer) nor too dry (add little water).

Let this mixture cool till it is easy to handle. Divide the rice mixture into equal lemon size balls. Place them on lightly greased steamer plate and steam them for about 10-12 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before opening the lid.

Andhra style Allam Pachadi Recipe

Allam chutney is a pretty straightforward recipe. It is a spicy, sweet and sour chutney that tingles all your taste buds. It also goes well with just about anything - idli, dosa, upma, roti etc etc. Here is how to make allam chutney:

Heat oil in a small sauté pan on medium heat, add the chana dal, urad dal, cumin seeds and dry red chilies. Cook till the lentils turn golden brow. Turn the heat off, add ginger and let the mixture cool completely.

Blend the ginger-lentil mixture along with tamarind, jaggery and salt into a smooth paste adding little water. Store in an airtight container for up to 10 days.

Allam pachadi can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. Make sure to use dry spoon every time you serve it.

Taste Test

Undrallu are quite bland by themselves and they are typically served with a chutney. I love the combination of ginger chutney with them. But you can serve them with dal or rasam.

These are not limited to the festival season in our home. I make them as a quick snack or even as a meal all through the year.

Expert Tips

• To make biyyapu rava at home, just blend rice in a grinder until it feels like corn meal, don't make it too smooth. Make sure that you grind small quantities to get consistent rawa.
• I recommend buying cream of rice from Indian grocery. The hot cereal available available in regular stores with the same name will not work in this recipe. Because it is too fine with a very floury consistency.
• Make sure to add rice in a slow, steady stream while making the porridge/ undarallu mixture. This avoids lump formation and to make smooth kudumulu.
• Store leftover undrallu in an airtight container for up to 2 days in the fridge. Warm in the microwave until heated through before serving.
• Store leftover allam pachadi in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. Make sure to use dry spoon every time you serve it.

How to make tamarind paste

To always have a container of homemade tamarind paste in the fridge. It is quite easy to make at home:

• First remove the seeds in the tamarind.
• Combine 1 cup of tamarind with 3 cups of water in a medium size saucepan.
• Bring the mixture to a slow boil on medium heat.
• Lower the heat and simmer until tamarind softens, about 8~10 minutes.
• I use a hand blender to make a smooth paste - but this step is optional.
• Completely cool the mixture and store in the fridge for up to 1 month.

You might also like

Here are a few more Andhra recipes that you might like:

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Recipe Card