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Vella seedai
Jaggery-glazed rice flour balls
வெல்ல சீடை: jaggery-glazed sweet seedai for Krishna Jayanthi
Next to the salty seedai on the Gokulashtami tray in Tamil Nadu sit vella seedai, the sweet twin: rice and urad flour kneaded with jaggery syrup, sesame and cardamom, rolled into slightly larger balls and fried to a deep brown crunch. They are offered to Krishna with butter, aval and fruit, then shared with neighbours. Common mistake: using hot syrup, which cooks the flour into a sticky mass and makes the balls burst; the syrup should be strained, cooled to warm and only cooked to a thin, sticky stage, not to a string. They are fried when the oil goes quiet and they turn deep golden-brown. Chef's tip: let the dough rest covered for 30 minutes before rolling; it firms up and the balls hold their shape.
- Total time
- 70 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
For the seedai
- 7 oz rice flour
- 1 tbsp ground urad dalroasted
- 5 ½ oz jaggerygrated
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tbsp fresh grated coconutsqueezed dry
- 1 tsp white sesame seeds
- ½ tsp ground green cardamom
- 1 tbsp ghee
To fry
- 3 ¼ cups oil for deep-frying
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Dry-roast 7 oz rice flour on a low heat for 3–4 minutes until light and powdery, without colouring. Sift with 1 tbsp ground urad dal and cool.
5 minStep 2: Melt 5 ½ oz jaggery in ¼ cup water over a low heat, then strain it to remove grit. Simmer for 2 minutes until slightly sticky between your fingers, and let it cool until just warm.
8 minStep 3: Mix the flours with 2 tbsp fresh grated coconut, 1 tsp white sesame seeds, ½ tsp ground green cardamom and 1 tbsp ghee. Pour in the warm syrup gradually and knead to a soft, smooth dough. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
30 minStep 4: Roll smooth, crack-free balls the size of a large marble and prick each once with a needle.
15 minStep 5: Heat 3 ¼ cups oil for deep-frying to about 325°F. Fry two as a test, then the rest in batches for 8–10 minutes, stirring gently, until deep golden-brown and the oil has gone quiet. Keep the heat moderate, as jaggery browns fast.
25 minStep 6: Drain and cool completely; they crisp as they cool. Store airtight for up to 2 weeks.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 250 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 38 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does vella seedai take?
- About 70 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of jaggery?
- Dark brown or muscovado sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of white sesame seeds?
- Poppy seeds or finely chopped pumpkin seeds, same amount.
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Perfect for:Janmashtami