Paddu

An idli batter cooked in the indentations of a special pan, so each one is a ball.

Vegan.

Ingredients

300 g raw rice
100 g urad dal
1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
20 curry leaves
1 onion, chopped fine
3 green chillies, chopped
a 3 cm piece of ginger, grated
a handful of coriander leaves
4 tablespoons oil, for the pan

Method

AN IDLI BATTER COOKED IN THE INDENTATIONS OF A SPECIAL PAN, SO EACH ONE IS A BALL. Its article gives both the batter and the equipment: THE BATTER IS MADE OF BLACK LENTILS AND RICE AND IS SIMILAR IN COMPOSITION TO THE BATTER USED TO MAKE IDLI AND DOSA, and PADDU IS MADE ON A SPECIAL PAN THAT COMES WITH MULTIPLE SMALL INDENTATIONS. The pan is the dish. The same batter poured flat is a dosa and steamed in trays is an idli.
AND ITS ARTICLE CALLS THE COOKING STEAMING, WHICH IS WORTH NOTING RATHER THAN CORRECTING. It describes paddu as MADE BY STEAMING BATTER USING A MOULD, and then names the indented pan. In practice the pan sits directly on the heat with a little oil in each hollow and a lid over the top -- so the bottom fries and the top steams, which is how both descriptions are true at once.
SOAK THE RICE AND THE DAL SEPARATELY, FOUR HOURS. The fenugreek goes in with the dal; it helps the ferment and gives the smell people recognise.
GRIND THE DAL FIRST AND WHIP AIR INTO IT. Smooth and light, with as little water as it will take. Then the rice, ground slightly grainy, and the two folded together by hand.
FERMENT IT EIGHT TO TWELVE HOURS, UNTIL IT HAS RISEN AND SMELLS SOUR. Warm room. Salt after fermenting, not before.
THE SEASONING IS TEMPERED AND STIRRED THROUGH THE BATTER, NOT COOKED WITH IT. Mustard seeds popped in a little oil with the curry leaves, then onion, chilli and ginger softened, then all of it folded in cold. The article allows the dish either way -- it CAN EITHER BE MADE SPICY WITH CHILLIES OR SWEET WITH JAGGERY.
OIL EACH HOLLOW AND FILL IT THREE-QUARTERS. Half a teaspoon of oil per hollow. Overfilled, they dome over and will not turn.
COVER, THREE MINUTES, THEN TURN EACH ONE WITH A SKEWER. Another two minutes uncovered. They should be deep gold on the base, pale on top, and round. Served hot with coconut chutney.

Our own recipe. This one was written for this site rather than taken from anywhere, so there is no source to point you at. The quantities and the order of the steps are choices, not the only way to do it.

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