27/08/2013
கோகுலாஷ்டமி சிறப்பு சீடை
Vellai Seedai or Cheedai is a traditional recipe made during the festival of Krishna Jayanthi also known as Gokulashtami, or Janmashtami. This festival is the most popular festivals amongst the Hindus. The Uppu Seedai (Salted Crisp Rice Marbles) and the Vellai Seedai (Sweet Rice Marbles) are made on this special festival for the Lord Krishna.
Ingredients
2 cups of raw rice, washed, soaked for 2 hours and dried completely with a dry cloth
1/4 tablespoons of urad dal
2 cups of jaggery
1/4 cup of freshly grated coconut
1 tablespoon of finely chopped cashewnuts
1/2 teaspoon of cardamom powder
1/2 teaspoon of sesame seeds
2 tablespoons of ghee
oil for deep frying
Method
In a heavy bottomed pan on medium heat, roast the urad until it releases a roasted aroma. Transfer to a bowl and keep aside.
Grind the rice and the roasted lentils together to a fine powder. Transfer the powder to a large wide bowl; add in the cococonut, cashewnuts, cardamom podwer, sesame seeds and ghee to make a flour of coarse crumbs. Keep this mixture aside.
Heat a sauce pan with 1/4 cup of water, add in the jaggery to dissolve it completely. Strain to remove any excess residue. Return the jaggery to the flame and simmer until the mixture thickens. Turn off the heat and allow it to cool slightly to a luke warm temperature.
Once cooled; add the jaggery to the rice mixture and knead to make a smooth dough. Mould the dough into small marble sized balls and arrange them on a tray.
Prepare the oil for deep frying; once the oil is heated turn the heat to low. Add in a few balls at a time and deep fry until the balls are darker golden brown in color. It is important to make sure the heat is not high, the balls will burn quickly.
Once fried, drain them on paper towels. Allow the balls to cool completely, they get crisper and crunchier in the cooling process. Store in an air tight container and serve them as a snack.