Kunuku

Kunuku

Like in any Indian household, Tamil homes are no different when it comes to repurposing foods leftover into new creative dishes . For example left over batter turned into delicious snacks. One such delightful creation is kunuku—a crispy, bite-sized treat prepared with left over Adai batter .

Kunuku – A Crispy and Traditional Teatime Snack from Tamil Nadu

Kunuku is a delightful, crispy snack from Tamil Nadu, cherished for its crunchy texture and flavorful taste. Made from a blend of soaked and ground lentils, this deep-fried delicacy is often prepared as a quick evening snack or as part of festive offerings.

Traditionally, kunuku is prepared using leftover adai batter, ensuring no food goes to waste while creating a delicious teatime treat. The batter is spiced with green chilies, curry leaves, and asafoetida, giving it a rich, aromatic flavor. Once shaped into small dumplings and deep-fried to golden perfection, kunuku pairs wonderfully with a hot cup of chai or filter coffee.

This snack is loved for its crisp exterior and soft, slightly chewy inside, making it an irresistible munchie for those craving something savory. Whether enjoyed plain or with a side of coconut chutney, kunuku remains a beloved part of Tamil Nadu’s traditional cuisine, passed down through generations.

Our ancestors, with their resourceful approach to cooking, anticipated ways to make the most of dosa batter, especially in the days before refrigeration. After using up fresh fermented batter for preparing idlis and Dosai , the Slightly fermented batter found its way into uthappam, where its mild tang enhances the flavour with the addition of chopped chilies , onions , ginger and some vegetables too finely grated . Any further leftover batter was transformed into paniyaram, enriched with a tempering of spices and chopped vegetables. Similarly Kunuku, with its irresistibly crisp texture, is yet another example of this ingenious tradition, ensuring nothing goes to waste while bringing tasty snacks to teatime , prepared from left over Adai batter . Sometimes I also grind separately a small batch of batter to enjoy only Kunuku as a 4 pm snacking 😅😋

Recipe :

Ingredients :

1/2 cup parboiled rice
1/4 cup Chana dal ( kadalai Paruppu)
1/4 cup toor dal ( split pigeon peas )
3-4 red chilies and 1 green chili
Pinch of asafoetida powder
Salt
Curry leaves
Grated Ginger may be added
1/4 cup fresh grated coconut ( optional )

Kunuku

Method

Wash and soak dals and rice for 3-4 hours
Grind to a coarse batter with chilies
Add salt , curry leaves , asafoetida powder , chopped coriander leaves if you have , grated ginger and fresh coconut, to the the batter . Mix well .
Heat oil , wet your fingers and take a small ball of batter and drop small balls into hot oil , deep fry till golden and done .

You will note that these Kunuku do not absorb much oil compared to other deep fried snacks .

Watch my YouTube video

https://youtu.be/aW60LUBQPas?si=lwjulsgfeKbqaSDl

Kunuku