Crisp and savoury on the outside while being soft and sweet on the inside, Poornam Boorelu is a traditional sweet from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. It is also made in the Mangalore region where it is called Sukrunde.Also called Poornalu, the inside of the Boorelu is the poornam or puran used to make Bobbattu o Puran Poli, while the outer covering is a rice and udad dal batter. This sweet is a must at Andhra weddings and for most festive meals.
Cuisine Andhra, Gluten Free, Indian, Mangalore, South Indian, Telangana, Vegetarian
Servings 8Boorelu
Calories 236kcal
Equipment
2 Bowls
Plate
Heavy Bottomed Vessel
Deep Kadai or Wok
Spoon
Slotted Ladle or Frying Ladle
Air-tight tin or dabba
Grinder
Ingredients
For the Poornam or the Filling
1/2CupChana Dal(100 gms)
1/2CupGrated Jaggery or Sugar(100 gms)
1/2tspCardamom Powder
2tbspGrated Coconut
1tspGhee
For the Covering
1/4CupUdad dal(50 gms)
1/2CupRice(100 gms)
1/4tspSalt
Other Ingredients
Oil for deep-frying
Water
Instructions
Making the Poornam or Filling
Soak 1/2 cup chana dal in 1.5 cups water for 1 hour.
Drain all the water and add 1/2 cup fresh water.
Pressure cook the chana dal for 1 whistle.
Let the pressure cooker depressurise naturally and then take the chana dal out.
Drain the dal completely and mash it well so that the chana dal breaks down.
In a heavy-bottomed vessel, over medium heat, melt 1 tsp of ghee.
Add the mashed chana dal and 1/2 cup grated jaggery or sugar.
Mix well and cook till the water in the mix evapourates and the mix starts to come together, and hold shape.
Turn off the heat.
Add 1/2 tsp cardamom powder and 2 tbsp coconut.
Mix well and set aside to cool a bit.
Grease your palms with a little ghee.
Divide the filling into 8 portions.
Roll each portion into a ball.
Making the Batter for the Covering
Add 1/4 cup udad dal and 1/2 cup rice to a bowl, and wash well under running water.
Add 1.5 cups of water and soak for 3 hours.
Drain all the water from the dal-rice mix.
Add to a grinder with 1/4 tsp salt and grind to a smooth batter. Add a little water, if needed.
Transfer to a bowl and check consistency. The batter should flow off a spoon as ribbons.
Making the Poornam Boorelu
To a deep kadai, add enough oil to achieve a 4″ depth. This is required because the boorelu should be completely submerged as they are frying.
Over medium flame, heat oil till it is hot. Add 1/4 tsp of the covering batter. I should settled at the bottom but sizzle there.
Dip the poornam balls in the batter and ensure they are completely covered.
Gently shake-off the excess batter and drop the batter covered boorelu into the oil. Do not slide it into the oil. If you do the covering batter will stick to the sides of the kadai and poornam may become uncovered.
Let the Poornam Boorelu fry in oil without moving them or touching them till they start to turn light golden brown.
Gently dislodge the frying boorelu and move them around so that they fry evenly.
Using a slotted spoon or a frying spatula, lift the Boorelu out of oil and hold them over the kadai for a few seconds so that the oil drains.
Transfer to a plate and let them cool.
Move the cooled boorelu to an air-tight container. You can store them at room temperature for 2 days.