UNDI / OONDI / PUNDI GATTI

Undi or Pundi Gatti as it is known in Tulu Language is a healthy and traditional breakfast from Udipi region of Karnataka. These are made with coarsely ground rice which is cooked with some temperings and then shaped into round dumplings with a depression and steamed. These days some people opt out an easier way by using idli rava, rice flour or semolina. But they taste best when made in the Traditional way by soaking the rice, dry-grinding and cooking it to a perfect consistency. After cooling the mixture undis are shaped and steamed.

Ingredients:
Rice ............... 1 cup (soak for 1 hour)
Oil ................. 2-3 tbsps
Coconut ........ 3 tbsps or more (grated)
Curry leaves .... few (cut into pieces)
Salt ................. to taste
Mustard seeds .... 1 tsp
Urad dal .............. 2 tsps
Fenugreek seeds ... 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida ............ 2-3 pinches
Water .................. 2 & 1/2 cups

Method:
1. Drain the water from the soaked rice and grind it to a coarse texture without adding any water.
2. Remove it in a large bowl and add salt to taste, grated coconut and 2 cups of water. Mix it well.
3. In a thick bottomed pan heat the oil.
4. Add the asafoetida first, followed by urad dal and stir it until it changes the colour.
5. Now add the methi seeds and mustard seeds.
6. When they crackle add the curry leaves.
7. Saute a bit and add 1/2 cup of water. Add little salt.
8. Now stir in the ground rice mixture.
9. Keep stirring it continuously with a spatula adjusting the flame from high to low in between.
10. Do this until it starts leaving the sides and is thick like upma.
11. Remove it in a bowl and let it cool.

To make Undi / Pundi gatti:
1. Take a small lemon sized portion in your hands and make a round ball. You don't need to grease your palms as there is sufficient oil in the dough.
2. Slightly flatten it and make a depression in the middle with your index finger.
3. Make all the undis in the same way and set aside.
4. Using a steamer or idli cooker steam them for 8-10 minutes. You can also use a large pan with some water, place a metal coaster / ring and steam the undis in a steel strainer.
5. These are served with a spicy chutney and some jaggery syrup.

Check out the video to see the making process

Notes:
1.It is better to use coconut oil in this recipe if you can get it and like the taste of it.
2. The quantity of coconut can be increased to your liking.

This recipe is part of the , "Shhhhh Cooking Secretly" challenge where a group of bloggers are paired with a different partner each month. They choose two secret ingredients from the chosen theme and we have to prepare the dish using them.
The theme for this month is - Udipi Cuisine suggested by Jayashree Trao of Evergreen Dishes 
I am paired with Mayuri Patel who blogs at Mayuri's Jikoni  gave me the two secret ingredients - Rice and Salt 
I had given her Bottle Gourd and Ginger. She made a delicious yogurt based curry Majjige Huli from Udipi Cuisine 

Pin for later

You May also Like:

Idlis

Uppitu

Pongal