Pala Munjalu Recipe

Pala Munjalu is a traditional sweet from Andhra Pradesh, made with rice flour dough stuffed with a delicious sweet filling, often a mixture of coconut and jaggery or chana dal. The outer layer is crispy while the filling is rich and flavorful.

Here’s a simple recipe to make Pala Munjalu:

Ingredients:

For the Dough:

• 1 cup rice flour
• 1 ½ cups water
• A pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon ghee

For the Filling:

• 1 cup chana dal (split Bengal gram)
• ¾ cup jaggery (grated)
• ¼ cup fresh coconut (grated)
• ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
• A pinch of salt
• Water (as needed)

For Frying:

• Oil for deep frying

Instructions:

Step 1: Prepare the Filling (Poornam)

1. Cook Chana Dal:
   • Wash and pressure cook the chana dal with enough water until soft (about 3-4 whistles).
   • Drain any excess water and mash the cooked dal into a smooth paste.
2. Make the Poornam:
   • In a pan, melt the jaggery with a little water on low heat.
   • Once the jaggery melts, add the mashed chana dal, grated coconut, cardamom powder, and a pinch of salt.
   • Cook on low heat until the mixture thickens and leaves the sides of the pan.
   • Let the mixture cool completely. Once cooled, divide it into small balls for stuffing.

Step 2: Prepare the Dough

1. Cook the Dough:
   • In a pan, bring 1 ½ cups of water to a boil with a pinch of salt and ghee.
   • Lower the heat and slowly add the rice flour while stirring continuously to avoid lumps.
   • Cook until the mixture forms a smooth dough and leaves the sides of the pan.
   • Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it cool slightly until it’s comfortable to handle.

Step 3: Shape and Fill

1. Make the Dough Balls:
   • Grease your hands with a little ghee, take small portions of the rice flour dough, and roll them into smooth balls.
2. Stuff the Dough:
   • Flatten each ball slightly with your fingers to form a small cup.
   • Place a ball of the poornam (filling) in the center and carefully bring the edges together to seal the dough around the filling.
   • Gently roll it into a smooth ball again, making sure the filling is well enclosed.

Step 4: Fry the Pala Munjalu

1. Heat Oil:
   • Heat oil in a deep frying pan on medium heat.
2. Fry the Balls:
   • Gently drop the stuffed rice balls into the hot oil and fry them on medium heat until golden brown and crispy on all sides.
   • Remove them with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.

Step 5: Serve

• Serve the Pala Munjalu warm or at room temperature as a sweet treat.

Tips:

• You can also substitute chana dal with grated coconut and jaggery for a quicker version.
• Make sure the oil is not too hot; otherwise, the outer layer might brown too quickly, leaving the inside undercooked.
• Keep the dough covered with a damp cloth to prevent it from drying out while shaping.