Teepi Garelu or Bellam Vada are a popular festival sweet made in Andhra. These are Urad Dal Vadas soaked in Jaggery Syrup.
These Teepi Garelu are a popular dish in the telanga and coastal parts of Andhra. When I asked Amma, she said they don't make it as such. So I had to google and referred this site to make my Navratri Dish today.
For Navratri Day 8, Nava Durga is Mahagauri - Rahu representing Happiness, Peace & Prosperity. Maasha (Black Gram) represents Rahu and on this day one can cook chakkara pongali or with coconut, black gram. Since only yesterday I made Chakkara Pongali, I decided to make something with Urad dal and Jaggery.
I remembered the Teepi Garelu I had during our Hyderabad Trip and asked Amma. She said she is not aware of the recipe and so decided to check it out myself.
Today Kumari Pooja is also observed and so young girls can be called to home to offer sweets and gifts.
Sundal for the day is Brown Chana Sundal.
Teepi Garelu | How to make Bellam Vada
Ingredients Needed:
1 cup Urad Dal / Black Gram Dal / Minappappu
A Pinch Salt
Cooking Oil for deep frying
1 cup Jaggery (I added 1/ 4 more)
1.5 cups Water
Making Jaggery Syrup
Take the jaggery in a pan with water, melt and remove impurities.
Cook again to prepare a syrup that is sticky on touch.
Making the Garelu/Vada
Wash and soak the urad dal for at least 2 hours. I left it overnight.
Drain the water, and grind the dal to a smooth paste sprinkling little water and salt Transfer to a bowl and beat till fluffy.
Heat a kadai with oil, have a small bowl of water, wet your palm and take a small ball and roll it well as a ball, flatten and make a hole in the center.
Gently slide into hot oil and deep fry on both sides.
Immediately drop the fried vadas into the jaggery syrup. Let them sit in this syrup till the next batch of vadas is deep fried. Remove them onto a serving plate and drop the next batch of vadas into the syrup.
Drizzle some left over syrup over vadas before serving and serve hot while the crust is still crisp.
Note:
We can add cardamom or a pinch of pepper for a different taste.
Brown Chana Sundal
Ingredients Needed:
1/2 cup Brown Chana
Salt to taste
Handful Curry Leaves
2 no Green Chillies
A Pinch Asafoetida / Hing
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1/2 tsp Urad Dal
2 tbsp Coconut grated
1 tsp Cooking Oil
Wash and soak the brown chana overnight.
Change the water a couple of times and pressure cook with salt and enough water for 3 to 4 times.
Let the pressure fall down, drain the chana.
Heat a nonstick pan with oil, temper with hing, mustard, curry leaves and green chilis
Add the boiled chana and toss well.
Garnish with grated coconut and offer as prasadam, partake.
Recipe
Teepi Garelu | How to make Bellam Vada
Ingredients
- 1 cup Urad dal / Black Gram Dal / Minappappu
- A Pinch Salt
- Cooking Oil for deep frying
- 1 cup Jaggery I added 1/4 cup more
- 1.5 cups Water
Instructions
Making Jaggery Syrup
- Take the jaggery in a pan with water, melt and remove impurities.
- Cook again to prepare a syrup that is sticky on touch.
Making the Garelu/Vada
- Wash and soak the urad dal for at least 2 hours. I left it overnight.
- Drain the water, and grind the dal to a smooth paste sprinkling little water and salt Transfer to a bowl and beat till fluffy.
- Heat a kadai with oil, have a small bowl of water, wet your palm and take a small ball and roll it well as a ball, flatten and make a hole in the center.
- Gently slide into hot oil and deep fry on both sides.
- Immediately drop the fried vadas into the jaggery syrup. Let them sit in this syrup till the next batch of vadas is deep fried. Remove them onto a serving plate and drop the next batch of vadas into the syrup.
- Drizzle some left over syrup over vadas before serving and serve hot while the crust is still crisp.
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