CHONYA DAALI MOOLIKU-a Konkani style sweet snack /SWEET CHANA DAL FRITTERS

Mooliku is a very popular sweet dish aomg Kokani people. There are two types of Mooliku.One with Chana daal/Bengal gram dal and the other with whole Moong/Green gram.These sweet dishes are also served as a prasadam/Neevadu in GSB temples.

Chonya daali Mooliku is a sweet dish prepared with cooked Chana dal mixed with Sugar,coated in Rice batter and deep fried till the outer layer become crispy adding Cardamom powder.We can prepare this sweet Mooliku during auspicious days.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare this Chonya daali Mooliku.

Rice flour           -1cup
Chana dal.          - 1cup
Cardamom.         - 6
Sugar.                  -1cup + 2tbsp
Salt.                    - a pinch
Cococnut oil.      - for deep frying

Instructions:-

In a mixing bowl add Rice flour and make a fine batter adding a pinch of Salt and little water.The consistency of the Rice flour batter should not be too thick or too thin [dropping consistency] and keep aside the Rice flour batter.[You can mix 1tsp Maida in the Rice flour batter - optional.]

Remove the outer skin of the Cardamom pods and mix with 2tbsp Sugar and then add them in a small mixer grinder and grind to a smooth powder.Keep aside the ground Cardamom powder.

Wash Chana dal and pressure cook adding sufficient water for 2 whistles or cook till soft.Remove the cooked Chana dal from the cooker and drain the cooked water completely and mash the cooked Chana dal coarsely using hand.

Heat a thick bottom pan on low flame and add the mashed Chana dal and stir well for 3 minutes to remove the moisture.

Add 1cup of Sugar into the pan and mix well with the mashed Chana dal and cook on low flame till the dal  sugar mixture becomes dry and thick in consistency, stirring continuously.Switch off the flame.

Add the ground Cardamom powder into the pan and mix with the thick Chana dal Sugar mixture.

Remove the Chana dal Sugar mixture from the flame and keep aside to cool.When cooled make small Chana dal balls and keep aside.

Method:-

Heat Coconut oil on medium flame in a deep frying pan.Dip each Chana dal ball in the Rice flour batter and drop into the hot oil one by one and deep fry them in batches till the outer layer of the chana dal ball becomes crispy and little golden brown colour on all sides.

When you dip the prepared Chana dal balls in the Rice flour batter, the ball should be fully covered by the Rice flour batter.

Remove the deep fried Mooliku from hot oil and transfer to a kitchen towel to absorb the excess oil.

A crispy outer layer, sweet and soft inside Chonya daali Mooliku /Sweet Chana dal Fritters is ready for Prasad or serve as a sweet snack.