Pani walalu also know as udu wel is a crispy deep-fried snack soaked in hot jaggary. This sweet is also enjoyed during avurudu/ Sri Lankan and Tamil new year.
When I was planning my avurudu kavili recipes, pani walalu was not on the list, so when I asked all my Instagram followers what sweets would they like to see me making, this dish was voted by many of my followers, so instead of doing a proper milk rice recipe, I decided I will switch to a pani walalu recipe.
Pani walalu, so this is very similar to a jalebi that is an indian version of our pani walalu. This is by far the most easiest avurudu recipe amoung all other avurudu recipies that I have published, only a few things can go wrong. so read the this article carefuly before doing this recipe.
Consistency of the pani walalu batter?
Pani walalu batter, should not be too thin because then it’s very hard to pipe it will just melt away in hot oil, but not too thick then it will be too hard to pipe, but the correct consistency. so what’s the correct consistency, check the video to check the correct consistency, but basically when you pour from a spoon or your spatula it should not be like the kokis or kavum batter that will fall down properly, it should be thick chunky batter that breaks in the middle.
What flour to use for pani walalu
Ok, so I am always going to try and make things easier for everyone. you don’t have to buy the Urad dhal, soak it overnight and do that whole process, you can buy udad/ urad/urid flour that is available in any Indian grocery stores if living overseas. I need some help with the Sri Lankans livings in Sri Lanka, if you guys know where this flour can be purchased in Sri Lanka, please comment below, so it will be a help for all others reading this article.
And again I use ready-made rice flour. I will only recommend the Derana white rice flour because there are a few other brands I have tried and it hasn’t given me the best outcome.
How long in advance should I make pani walalu
The best is when it is made on the same day because after one day the pani on the outside will fall off the pani walalu, so to keep them glazy and shiny it’s better served on the day. or you can also make it and keep and then reheat it in the pani the day of serving this way it will still be glazy
How to store pani walalu
Pani walalu should be stored inside the prepared pani this way it has all the time to soak the pani. Store it in an airtight container in a cool and dry place.
Tips and Tricks to follow to get the best pani walalu
The batter should be very smooth and the right consistency. Now udad flour in general is very grainy, so after making the batter, I usually strain the batter through a fine sieve so this way I can get the correct smoothness. also, you can also put all ingredients together and blend it, but I prefer to do it by hand as this will help me to understand the batter consistency
The pani walalu and the jaggery mix both should be hot when soaking the fried pani walalu, this way the pani can be absorbed into the fried pani walalu. Once it’s cooled down, this will not happen, only the outer surface will have the pani.
How to pipe pani walalu into hot oil
This is also an art to pipe round coils, but the good thing about this is, because you are piping into oil, it will any way combine together as a beautiful coil-shaped round. But the trick is, start piping in low heat, this will make piping so much easier and when you are done piping about 5-6 foils in the pan, then turn the fire into high flame to crispy it up and get a golden brown colour. Make sure after piping beautiful rounds always end with a strip in the middle, this is what is going to keep the rounds intact together.
The pani syrup Mixture used
Now I have seen many pani walalu that is dull and doesn’t look appetising, But to get this glazy look, it is important to use the pani mix which will give good results. I use a mix of Kithul pani and jaggery. Kithul pani is already glazy and syrupy, so all the work is done for you, hence why I am recommending using kithul pani for this recipe. I will only recommend Araliya kithul pani, because it is the best of quality and gives the results that we want. so if you can buy Araliya kithul pani please do buy it, because it will make a huge difference.
You can also check my other Sri Lankan Avurudu sweets
Watch how to make pani walalu
Step by Step recipe on how to make pani walalu
Equipment
- Pan
Ingredients
- 150 g Urad flour
- 150 g Rice flour
- 50 g All-purpose flour
- 415- 500g Thick Coconut milk 100g coconut milk powder+415g water
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Baking powder
Pani syrup
- 250 g Kithul pani
- 100 g Juggery
Instructions
Pani walalu batter
- In to a large bowl sieve together udad flour, rice flour and all-purpose flour
- Add salt and baking powder into the same bowl
- Add the coconut milk gradually while mixing with the hand until the correct consistency is achieved. You might need more or less coconut milk depending on the flour used and if fresh coconut is used as opposed to coconut milk powder. The concictency should be like a cake batter.Pass the whole mixture through a fine sieve to get a smooth batter. At this point, if you need a bit more coconut milk to get the correct consistency, then add a bit more and mix well.
- Leave the batter until it has rested a little a bit this will take about 1 hourYou will see the mixture rise a little. don't keep it more than 1 hour, as the mix can turn sour.
- Mix the batter again with a whisk and pour the mix into a piping bag
- Heat a pot of oil on low fire, once it is heated a little, start piping round coils into the oil (check video)Once piped increase the fire into a high flame and fry until golden brown colour
Pani syrup
- Place kithul pani and juggery together in a saucepan and place it on a medium fire, keep it on the fire until the jaggery has melted and the pani is sticky when touchedThe pani does not have to be syrupy.
- Add the fried hot pani walalu directly into the hot pani. leave it inside until the next batch of pani walalu are ready, when the next batch of pani walalu are ready then take them off the hot pani and store them in a container. You will ahve to heat the pani from time to time so that the pani is hot when soaking.
- Once all pani walalu are fried and soaked, then add the remaining pani into the container and store the pani walalu inside the pani until needed
- if you are using it after 2-3 days, you will have to reheat it in the pani to crisp it up and to get the glazy look.
2 thoughts on “Pani Walalu Recipe”
Harischandra, wijeya and Ruhunu brands have packets of Urad Dhal flour (labeled Undu/ulundu piti) and available in most supermarkets
Thank you Imanthie, This will help many people.