Authentic Tamilnadu Chettinad Beetroot Kola Urundai Recipe. Beetroot Vadai. Deep fried traditional Veg Kola recipe. With step by step pictures.
The food of the Chettinad region of Tamilnadu is so versatile. They are the masters of cooking vegetarian dishes that mimic meat. In Tamilnadu, meat is not consumed during many festive months. So dishes like these are cooked by the women folks to satiate the meat loving Chettiar household. Kola Urundai is traditionally made with mutton. This pure vegetable version has Beetroots and lentils mixed with fragrant spices. Fennel Seeds (Sombu) gives this dish a very very nice flavor. Here is how to do an excellent authentic and traditional vegetable kola urundai. There is no dull moment in the Chettiar household with such good food around.
Wash and Soak toor dal and channa dal in water for half an hour. Set aside.
Drain the soaked dal and grind it in a small mixie jar with fresh shredded coconut. Do not add any water. Pulse the mixie jar 7-8 times. Open and mix in between so the mixture grinds evenly. The mixture will be coarse after grinding.
In the same mixie jar which has the ground dal-coconut mixture, add in the diced onion, red chillies, fennel seeds, cumin seeds and garlic. Grind the mixture without adding any water. Pulse the mixie jar several times. Open and mix in between so the mixture grinds evenly. The mixture should be very slightly coarse after grinding. Set aside.
Wash, peel and grate the Beetroots. Set aside.
Take a bowl and add in the grated beetroots and the ground mixture. Add in the salt and finely chopped curry leaves and coriander leaves. Mix well. Add in quarter cup of chickpea flour (besan) . Mix well. The mixture will be little wet when compared to the traditional vadai batter. Its fine. Do not add more chickpea flour. Mix well and proceed for frying.
This mixture has to be fried as soon as they are mixed, else it becomes watery when stored. So lets proceed for frying. Heat oil in a kadai / pan. When the oil is getting hot, make small balls out of the beetroot mixture. Fry the balls in oil for 2 minutes in medium flame. Drain on paper towels.
Serve hot.
- 2 Big Beetroots (Approximately 300 grams)
- ¼ cup Toor dal
- ¼ cup Channa Dal
- ¾ cup fresh shredded Coconut (about half a medium coconut)
- 4 dried red chillies (use more if you need it real spicy)
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 teaspoon fennel seeds (sombu)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 5 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup chickpea flour (besan)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 sprigs curry leaves, finely chopped
- 6 sprigs coriander leaves, finely chopped
- 500 ml Sunflower Oil for deep frying
- Wash and Soak toor dal and channa dal in water for half an hour. Set aside.
- Drain the soaked dal and grind it in a small mixie jar with fresh shredded coconut. Do not add any water. Pulse the mixie jar 7-8 times. Open and mix in between so the mixture grinds evenly. The mixture will be coarse after grinding.
- In the same mixie jar which has the ground dal-coconut mixture, add in the diced onion, red chillies, fennel seeds, cumin seeds and garlic. Grind the mixture without adding any water. Pulse the mixie jar several times. Open and mix in between so the mixture grinds evenly. The mixture should be very slightly coarse after grinding. Set aside.
- Wash, peel and grate the Beetroots. Set aside.
- Take a bowl and add in the grated beetroots and the ground mixture. Add in the salt and finely chopped curry leaves and coriander leaves. Mix well. Add in quarter cup of chickpea flour (besan). Mix well. The mixture will be little wet when compared to the traditional vadai batter. Its fine. Do not add more chickpea flour. Mix well and proceed for frying.
- This mixture has to be fried as soon as they are mixed, else it becomes watery when stored. So lets proceed for frying. Heat oil in a kadai / pan. When the oil is getting hot, make small balls out of the beetroot mixture. Fry the balls in oil for 2 minutes in medium flame. Drain on paper towels.
- Serve hot.
Hi Suguna,
I’m wondering if I can bake these meatballs or pan fry them? If so what temperature and baking time would you recommend?
Sheerja
Hi Sheerja, Sure you can pan fry them.
If baking, sprinkle oil and bake at 350 for 40 minutes.
Hi, do you use raw or boiled beetroot?
I think they are raw beetroots.
Can we freeze the balls?
Have never tried Priya but I think it should work!
Kannamma Akka this dish is delicious and great taste
Thank you so much Selva.
Hi suguna,can we substitute roasted gram instead of besan flour
Have never tried Karthiga. Think it should be fine.
Thank you suguna.i will try and let you know.
Sure. Hope you like it!
this came out really well.. thanks a lot
Thank you!
Thank u mam for ur wonderful recipes. First i tried keerai kadaiyal. My whole family become fan of u and also my friend lata. Now i become fan of ur writings too. Thank you mam
Just call me Suguna Nalini. Really happy you like our recipes.
Hi kannamma,bck agn….as I said u earlier sinc my husbnd is frn chettinad…he luvs these dishes a lot…n nw aftr his mom am gftng him those memories through ur recipes…I feel hppy,my husbnd feels hppy…to hv such a tasty fud all tym…thnk u
Thanks so much Keerthana. Your messages brightens my day. I am really so happy that your family is enjoying the recipes. A virtual hi5 from Bangalore.
Hi suguna, i tried out this wow it turns very well . my hubby and my son enjoyed.thanks for this wonderful and tasty recipes.
Thank you so much Saranya. Really happy that your husband and son enjoyed the kola. Keep coming!
Awesome
Please post vegan chettinad and south indian delicacy like this