Sri Lankan Aurudu Sweets – Crispy Pani Walalu: Sweet Sri Lankan Delight – By Malsha – eLanka
Ingredients:
- 1 cup Urad dal/Undu (split matpe beans)
- 1⁄4 cup Rice flour
- 1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour/bread flour
- 1⁄8 teaspoon salt
- Thick coconut milk, as needed (depends on the consistency of the mixture)
For the Sugar Syrup:
- 2 cups Dark brown sugar
- 1⁄2 cup water
- 2 pinches salt
Other:
- Oil for deep frying
Instructions:
- Begin by soaking Urad dal/Undu overnight or for 8-10 hours.
- Drain the water used for soaking the black lentils. Grind the lentils into a smooth paste, adding a teaspoon of water at a time if needed. Mix the ground urad dal with rice flour and all-purpose flour until it forms a slightly stiff, smooth paste. Add a tablespoon of water if the mixture is too dry. Cover with plastic wrap and let it ferment for about 12 hours until tiny bubbles appear.
- Once fermented, add salt to the mixture and gradually incorporate thick coconut milk, one tablespoon at a time, until it reaches a pipable consistency. Avoid over-mixing to retain air bubbles. If the batter appears flat, allow it to rest for an hour before piping.
- Prepare the sugar syrup by gently heating dark brown sugar, water, and salt in a saucepan until heated through. Keep the syrup warm on very low heat, avoiding bubbling. Substitute dark brown sugar with white sugar, jaggery, or treacle if preferred.
- Heat enough oil for deep frying in a flat-bottomed pan. Test the oil temperature by dropping a small amount of batter into the oil. It should sink briefly before popping up and puffing. Adjust the heat if needed.
- Using a piping bag, pipe the batter into coils directly into the heated oil. Fry until golden brown, ensuring not to overcrowd the pan.
- Once golden, immediately transfer the fried coils into the warm sugar syrup, soaking them for a few seconds until saturated.
- Remove the Pani Walalu from the syrup and place them on a clean plate to cool. Avoid crowding the pan and soak one Pani Walalu at a time in the sugar syrup. Enjoy these crispy treats as a delightful indulgence!
