Masala Paniyaram recipe is a Chettinad dish that starts off with an idli dosa batter as base. I usually make paniyaram at home for a quick breakfast or have slightly sour leftover dosa batter that needs to get used up. I have tried a few different variations of paniyaram by adding coconut, more chillies, no tempering, etc and this paniyaram recipe I am sharing today is my absolute favourite.
To get started making your own paniyaram, you need a paniyaram pan which is very easily available in India and, of course, Amazon. While doing my own search to buy a paniyaram pan, I was quite intrigued by the fact that a few different cultures have snacks similar to paniyaram in their cuisine too – the popular aebleskiver from Denmark and Takoyaki from Japan. Takayoki usually has a filling but the concept of cooking or frying them is the same as making paniyaram.
Anyway this Masala Paniyaram recipe serves a a simplest evening snack for me and I hope you get to make this soon and share with your loved ones too.
Check out recipe for dosa batter, Mysore vada, jowar dosa, and masala dosa too, if you are looking for some more recipe ideas and inspiration.
Masala Paniyaram Recipe
Ingredients
- 2.5 cups of dosa or idli batter
- 1.5 tsp of oil
- 1/4 tsp of mustard seeds
- A generous pinch of hing asafoetida
- 2 tbsp of chopped onions or shallots chinna vengayam
- 2 tbsp of grated coconut optional
- 2 tbsp of chopped coriander leaves or curry leaves
- 4-5 tbsp of Indian sesame oil for cooking
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat the 1.5 tsp oil and add the mustard seeds. When they pop, add the hing and chopped onions or shallots. Fry until light golden brown.
- Turn off heat and add the coconut, if using.
- Let the coconut get lightly toasted in the remaining heat and add to the dosa batter along with the chopped coriander leaves and salt to taste.
- Mix well and set aside. The batter shouldn't be too runny, the consistency of batter for making idli is perfect.
- Heat the paniyaram pan and fill the each hole up to 1/3 with oil. You can add a bit less if using a non-stick pan.
- Once the oil is heated, pour enough batter into each hole to fill it. The oil will float to the top and spill over to the other holes. This is fine, paniyara pan is a way of deep frying the items and yet retaining the shape perfectly.
- Patience is required at this stage. On medium-low heat, cook the paniyaram for a good 3-4 mins until the bottom is nicely browned. Take care to regulate the heat properly otherwise the inside will not cook properly.
- Once the top of the paniyaram has risen a bit and is no longer too runny, gently flip them with a skewer. Take care while doing this. Once all are flipped over, let the other side cook for 2-3 mins.
- Once both sides are golden brown, gently remove using the skewer on to serving plates.
Step by step masala paniyaram recipe
Heat the 1.5 tsp oil and add the mustard seeds. When they pop, add the hing and chopped onions or shallots. Fry until light golden brown.
Turn off heat and add the coconut, if using.
Let the coconut get lightly toasted in the remaining heat and add to the dosa batter along with the chopped coriander leaves and salt to taste.
Mix well and set aside. The batter shouldn’t be too runny, the consistency of batter for making idli is perfect.
Heat the paniyaram pan and fill the each hole up to 1/3 with oil. You can add a bit less if using a non-stick pan.
Once the oil is heated, pour enough batter into each hole to fill it. The oil will float to the top and spill over to the other holes. This is fine, paniyara pan is a way of deep frying the items and yet retaining the shape perfectly.
Patience is required at this stage. On medium-low heat, cook the paniyaram for a good 3-4 mins until the bottom is nicely browned. Take care to regulate the heat properly otherwise the inside will not cook properly.
Once the top of the paniyaram has risen a bit and is no longer too runny, gently flip them with a skewer. Take care while doing this. Once all are flipped over, let the other side cook for 2-3 mins.
Once both sides are golden brown, gently remove using the skewer on to serving plates.
Serve paniyaram hot or warm with coconut chutney, tomato thokku (like I did), onion thokku, dosa podi, or even sugar. It’s very versatile!
Notes:
– Add a pinch or two of chilli powder if you want some heat in your paniyaram. I sometimes do this and sometimes don’t
– This recipe was updated and re-posted on December 3, 2014. I also added step by step pictures. Drop me a note if you try to try this masala paniyaram recipe at home
– For masala paniyaram recipe in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Kannada, etc please use the Google translate button in the sidebar
ohh thanks nags …. then will go for a nonstick one …….
I use a non stick pan Kalyani. cast iron will need seasoning and more oil when cooking 🙂
wow the panniyaram looks delicious and so crispy …….. & will try soon………. but i have to order a pan soon … can u suggest me regarding pans ? cast iron is it good or non-stick pan ?
yay! thanks for being so awesome and leaving feedback harsha. so glad you liked the masala kuzhi paniyaram recipe 🙂
ok i just made a batch of these beauties and it turned out heavenly ..beautifully crispy and brown outside and soft inside…thanks a lot for the recipe nags….god bless
gee nags,
i used to think that panniyaram making was a labour intensive procedure….u make it sound so simple ….thanks..now i can make this in a jiffy and trick people into thinkin that i had been labouring over this in the kitchen for a a hundred years! jus kidding..will try soon and let you know…..
That's a great idea anon. The only thing I feel is, if you make this in an idli maker in the MW, then it will taste more "steamed" than fried. Paniyarams are supposed to be semi-fried so the taste and texture will significantly differ if you follow the method you mentioned. Still might turn up a good snack though, I am sure 🙂
Hello,
Nice recipe. Great for tea or even a quick tiffin stuff. I dont have the paniyaram Chatti /aebleskiver pan but I have idli maker which ca be used in microwave. I like the recipe but I think it can be made in microwave as well and with less oil. Saute onion, dal and other ingredients except idli batter. Can also add finely sliced capsicum OR peanuts. Then take it off the flame and mix with idli batter and cook in idli maker in microwave. I have never tasted this recipe but I think it will give the same taste in idli maker as well. I am new to cooking so its just an idea….
My daughter had her first taste of this dish and now wants me to make it at home! I didn't realise that it is so simple:) Lovely photos . Thanks for sharing.
Vimala
So glad you like the kuzhi paniyaram recipe Vimala!