Ulundhu Kali

The Ulundhu Kali is a traditional Tamil sweet dish that is made using generous amounts of gingelly oil and palm jaggery (karupatti in Tamil). The dish is considered extremely healthy and full of protein, and is a preferred item in the diet of pregnant women to strengthen their bones and improve digestion. This highly nutritious dish from the Kongunadu cuisine can be eaten as an evening snack and is loaded with health benefits.

Recipe Facts

Preparation Time
10 mins
Cooking Time
20 mins
Category
Veg
Type
Snack, Dessert

½ cup black urad dal
1 tbsp raw rice
¾ cup palm jaggery
½ cup gingelly oil
½ tsp cardamom powder

Step 1 – Heat a pan and dry roast the black urad dal on a low flame until it turns crisp. Switch off the flame, and let it cool.

Step 2 – Add rice to the pan and roast it on a low flame until it puffs up. Transfer the roasted rice and black urad dal to a mixer and grind them finely. Sieve and grind until the mixture turns to a fine powder.

Step 3 – Now melt the jaggery in a pan with some water. Boil the mix on a medium flame until the jaggery is completely dissolved. Filter the syrup using a sieve to remove any hard particles.

Step 4 – Add the black urad dal and rice powder to the jaggery syrup. Add some cardamom powder and stir well.

Step 5 – Whisk the content into a smooth consistency without any lumps. Maintain a low flame and mix continuously with a ladle. Add a tsp of oil at regular intervals when the mix thickens. Keep stirring until the oil is fully absorbed by the Kali (the mixture).

Step 6 – The right consistency is when the mixture doesn’t stick to the pan and rolls like balls. Switch off the flame. Let the mixture cool down and make balls out of the mixture. The nutritious Kali is ready to serve!

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