Go Back
Print

Andhra poornalu recipe | poornam boorelu recipe with jaggery

Andhra poornalu recipe, a sweet, aromatic stuffing made from cooked Chana Dal and Jaggery, and a classic, deeply loved sweet from the Telugu states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, is often made during major festivals and for special occasions like weddings. The crispy secret ingredient for a perfect Poornam Boorelu was semolina(sooji), which absorbs excess moisture and helps thicken the batter to the right consistency.

Course Dessert
Cuisine Andhra, Indian
Keyword andhra poornalu recipe, poornalu, poornalu sweet sanck, poornam boorelu, poornamboorelu recipe with jaggery
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 220 kcal

Ingredients

Ingredients for Poornalu:

For batter:

  • Urad dal - 1 cup
  • Rice - 1 1/2 cups
  • Semolina suji - 3 tablespoons
  • salt - 1/4 teaspoon

For poornam chana dal halwa:

  • Split chickpeas chana dal - 1 cup
  • Grated Jaggery - 1 cup
  • Ghee - 2 tablespoons

For deep frying:

  • Oil - 2 cups

Serving:

  • Ghee - 1 tablespoon

Instructions

Procedure for Poornalu recipe:

Mixing batter for poornalu:

  1. Soak 1 cup of urad dal and 1 1/2 cups of rice for 4 to 6 hours, blend, and ferment for 7 hours.
  2. Take 5 spoons of fermented dosa batter.
  3. Add 3 tablespoons of fine semolina (rava/sooji).
  4. Semolina not only helps thicken a slightly loose batter but also gives the fried shell a wonderful crunch.
  5. Add 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
  6. Mix the batter well without lumps, until the semolina is fully incorporated.

Preparing the Poornam (chana dal halwa):

  1. Soak a cup of chana dal for 2 hours, pressure cook for 5 whistles, cool and grind it to a smooth paste without adding any water.
  2. Add mashed chana dal and grated jaggery. Stir well and cook on a low to medium flame. Continue stirring until all the moisture evaporates and the mixture thickens.
  3. Allow the mixture to cool slightly. Take 1/2 cup of hana dal halwa.
  4. Grease your palms with a little ghee and roll the cooled mixture into small, even-sized balls. Set aside.

The Frying Process:

  1. Heat a deep kadai or pan with oil for deep frying over medium-high heat. The oil must be hot enough to instantly sizzle the batter, but not so hot that the poornalu burns before the coating is cooked.
  2. Test the oil by dropping a tiny bead of batter; it should rise to the surface immediately, but not brown too fast.
  3. Take one Poornam ball and drop it gently into your prepared batter. Using a spoon or your fingers, ensure the ball is fully and evenly coated on all sides.
  4. Gently lift the ball, letting any major excess batter drip back into the bowl.
  5. Carefully slide the batter-coated ball into the hot oil.
  6. Fry in small batches to maintain the oil temperature and prevent overcrowding. Fry the poornalu on medium heat, turning occasionally with a slotted spoon.
  7. Fry them until they turn a beautiful golden-brown and look crisp on the outside.
  8. Remove the fried poornalu using a slotted spoon and place them on a plate lined with a paper towel to drain any excess oil.
  9. Serve the Poornalu warm with a generous drizzle of ghee.

Recipe Notes

  • If your fermented batter is too thin, you can correct the consistency by adding fine semolina (rava) and mixing well. Semolina absorbs excess moisture and helps thicken the batter to the right consistency.
  • Maintain a steady medium-hot temperature. If the oil is too cool, the boorelu will absorb too much oil and become greasy. If too hot, the coating will brown quickly while the inside remains uncooked/soggy.