Poruvilangai Urundai is a nutritious and wholesome traditional South Indian sweet, often made during festivals and special occasions. These hard and crunchy energy balls are crafted using a mixture of roasted lentils, rice, and jaggery, making them both flavourful and packed with nutrients. Known for their long shelf life and energizing qualities, Poruvilangai Urundai is enjoyed as a healthy snack by people of all ages.
My Childhood memory
Poruvilangai Urundai is a beloved traditional sweet that holds a special place in my heart, reminding me of my childhood days. My amma and paati used to make these delicious, hard-textured ladoos at home. Though tough to bite into, that’s exactly what makes it enjoyable! This family recipe is not only flavourful but also incredibly healthy, filled with multigrain goodness. Nothing beats the taste of homemade Poruvilangai Urundai. Whenever my parents make it, they still courier some to me, ensuring I never miss out on this childhood treat.The name “Poruvilangai” comes from “Porul” (meaning) and “Vilanga” (unable to understand), symbolizing the mystery behind its ingredients.
Mystery Ingredients of Poruvilangai Urundai
The ladoo includes a variety of grains, making it both nutritious and intriguing:
- Rice and Whole Wheat: Provide a sturdy base and rich texture.
- Green Gram (Moong Dal): Adds protein and essential nutrients.
- Miscellaneous Ingredients: Each household adds its unique touch with various grains and spices.
- Coconut: I’ve added coconut, which can be either ground with the mixture or chopped into small bits for extra texture.
Health Benefits of Poruvilangai Urundai
- Nutrient-Rich: The combination of grains and jaggery makes this ladoo a powerhouse of nutrition.
- Energy-Boosting: Jaggery is an unrefined sugar that provides a sustained energy release, perfect for keeping you energized throughout the day.
- Protein and Fiber: The mix of lentils and grains ensures a good dose of protein and fiber, promoting digestion and overall well-being.
- Good for Bone Health: The minerals in jaggery, such as iron and calcium, are beneficial for maintaining bone density and preventing anemia.
Tips for Making Perfect Poruvilangai Urundai
- Soft Ball Jaggery Syrup: Traditionally, the syrup is made to hard ball consistency, but I prefer the soft ball stage, making it easier to break and enjoy.
- Consistency of Jaggery Syrup: The key to getting the right hardness is in the jaggery syrup. Heat the syrup until it reaches a soft ball stage, which allows the ingredients to bind well.
- Coconut Variation: For extra flavor, I either grind the coconut with the ingredients or chop it into small pieces to add some bite.
- Roast the Lentils Well: Ensure all the lentils are evenly roasted to enhance the flavour and make the urundai last longer.
- Shape While Warm: Once the mixture is ready, shape the urundais while the mixture is still warm. If it cools too much, it will become difficult to shape.
- Store Properly: Store Poruvilangai Urundai in an airtight container at room temperature to keep them fresh for weeks.
Why Make Poruvilangai Urundai?
This sweet is more than just a festive treat—it’s a nutritious snack and a wonderful way to connect with tradition. Passed down from generation to generation, Poruvilangai Urundai is a labour of love that’s as fulfilling to make as it is to eat.
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Poruvilangai Urundai
Equipment
- 1 Frying pan
- 1 Mixie
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Idli rice
- 1 Cup Whole wheat
- 1 Cup Green gram
- 1/8 Cup Coconut / Dry Coconut
- 1/4 Cup Fried Gram Pottukadalai
- 3 no Cardamom
- 1/2 tsp Dry Ginger powder
- 2.5 Cup Jaggery
Instructions
Roast the Ingredients
- Begin by roasting the idli rice, whole wheat, and green gram (moong dal) separately until they turn aromatic.
- Next, lightly roast the fried gram (pottukadalai) and coconut, and set them aside to cool.
Grinding the Mixture
- Once cooled, transfer all the roasted ingredients into a mixie jar.
- Add cardamom for flavour, and you may also add dry ginger at this stage, or opt to mix in dry ginger powder later.
- Grind everything into a fine powder, then sieve the mixture to ensure a smooth texture.
Preparing for Final Steps
- If you haven’t added dry ginger earlier, now is the time to mix in the dry ginger powder to the sieved mixture.
Make the Jaggery Syrup
- In another pan, combine jaggery and water to prepare the syrup.
- The ideal consistency for the jaggery syrup is hard ball consistency, but if you prefer a softer bite like I do, you can stop at soft ball consistency. This makes shaping the balls easier and results in a ladoo that's softer to eat.
Final Steps
- Once the jaggery syrup is ready, allow it to cool down slightly.
- Shape the mixture into balls and store them in an airtight container to maintain freshness.
Notes
- You can adjust the quantity of Jaggery according to your taste.
- Make balls when it is warm else you cannot make urundais.
- I used Idli rice but you can use Raw rice also.
INSTRUCTIONS
Roast the Ingredients
- Begin by roasting the idli rice, whole wheat, and green gram (moong dal) separately until they turn aromatic.
- Next, lightly roast the fried gram (pottukadalai) and coconut, and set them aside to cool.
Grinding the Mixture
- Once cooled, transfer all the roasted ingredients into a mixie jar.
- Add cardamom for flavor, and you may also add dry ginger at this stage, or opt to mix in dry ginger powder later.
- Grind everything into a fine powder, then sieve the mixture to ensure a smooth texture.
Preparing for Final Steps
- If you haven’t added dry ginger earlier, now is the time to mix in the dry ginger powder to the sieved mixture.
Make the Jaggery Syrup
- In another pan, combine jaggery and water to prepare the syrup.
- The ideal consistency for the jaggery syrup is hard ball consistency, but if you prefer a softer bite like I do, you can stop at soft ball consistency. This makes shaping the balls easier and results in a ladoo that’s softer to eat.
- To check the consistency add a tsp of jaggery syrup in a small bowl of water. Try to make ball with the jaggery syrup. It should not dissolve. That is the right consistency.
Final Steps
- Once the jaggery syrup is ready, add two or three small ladle of it over the flour and make balls.
- Do not add the jaggery syrup in one go as you ll not be able to make balls once it cools down.
- Shape the mixture into balls and store them in an airtight container to maintain freshness.
Notes
- You can adjust the quantity of Jaggery according to your taste.
- Make balls when it is warm else you cannot make urundais.
- I used Idli rice but you can use Raw rice also.