Kuzhi Paniyaram | Indian Breakfast Recipes

Kuzhi Paniyaram, these little pillowy delights native to South India are loved at my home. They also go by the name gulittu, guntu pongalu or unniappam. These are crispy on the outside and soft in the inside and make a great snack or breakfast item. I made this for my LO's breakfast one day with Tomato Sambar and he loved them. They are made with a special pan called the Paniyara kal which have little spherical indentations for frying the batter with oil. These can also be made with the ebelskiver pan available in other parts of the world.

Ingredients:
Serves - 2-3
Dosa batter, slightly sour - 4 cups (see notes below)
Oil - 2 tsp + more for making paniyarams
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Chana dhal - 1 tsp
Onion - 1/2 cup, chopped
Green chillies - 2, chopped (see notes below)
Curry leaves - a few
Salt - a pinch

Method:
Heat 2 tsp of oil in a pan and splutter the mustard seeds and curry leaves. Add the chana dhal and fry until it takes a slightly darker shade. Add chopped green chillies and onions. Continue to saute until the onion is cooked through. Add a pinch of salt and mix with the batter. Heat the paniyaram (aebelskiver) pan in medium-high heat and pour about 1/4 tsp of oil in each kuzhis (indentations). Fill it with batter until the brim. When the batter puffs a little with bubbles on top, flip them over with a chopstick by pricking and rolling it over. Cook until all the sides are golden brown. Remove and serve hot with a 
chutney or sambar. I served it with Tomato Sambar.
Notes:
Use a day old dosa batter which is slightly sour for a nice crisp and tangy taste. If feeding kids, just slit the green chillies before sauteing and remove it before adding to the batter. 
You can add grated carrots to make it more colorful and get your kids their share of vegetables.