Sojjappalu – Andhra Style Halwa Puri ~Guest Post by Aruna Panangipallay

Sojjiappalu, today’s recipe is a traditional Andhra Pradesh sweet dish .The dish is made by Aruna Panangipally of Aharam.You all must have rremembered few months back I did a guest post for her and it’s her  generousity that she also did a guest post for me.Aruna is a versatile blogger and I always like how authentic and perfect are her recipes.I am so humbled that she made this traditional Andhra dish for me .Thanks a millions Aruna for this sweet dish .I am enjoying it virtually and it looks so tempting.Hopefully one day I will try making it in my kitchen.

Over to Aruna….

Ingredients for the Sojjappalu Dough

1 cup maida
1 teaspoon rice flour
2 healthy pinches salt
water to knead the dough
1 tablespoon oil

Ingredients for Rava Kesari

1/3 cup rava/suji/semolina
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoon ghee
1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder
2/3 cup water
4 to 6 drops yellow or orange food color

Other Ingredients
oil for deep frying

Method to Make Sojjappalu or Sajjappa Dough
Sieve together the rice flour, maida, and salt.
Make a well in the middle of the flour.
Add about ¼ cup water.
Knead into a pliable dough. Add more water a little at a time, as and when required.
Roll the dough into a ball.
Pour 1 tbsp oil onto the surface of the dough.
Knead a bit so that the dough absorbs some of the oil but remains oily on the surface.
Close and set aside for 10 minutes.

Method to Make the Rava Kesari
In a pan, heat the ghee.
Add the rava and sauté for about 5 minutes. The rava should not change colour.
When the rava gives off a gentle aroma, add the sugar ad cardamom powder.
Mix well.
Now add the water and food colour and mix well.
Over medium flame, cook till the water is absorbed and the Rava Kesari is slightly translucent.
Turn off the heat and let the Kesari cool to room temperature.
Using a spoon or a fork, mix the Rava Kesari well so that it becomes a bit crumbly.

Method to Make Sojjappalu or Sajjappa
Heat the oil.
In a large kadai or wok, over medium flame, heat enough oil to fry the Sojjappalu. You should have oil to about 3” inches depth.
Let the oil remain on medium flame while you shape the puri.
Divide the Kesari into 8 equal portions.
Roll into balls.

Cover and set aside.
Pinch about a small marble sized piece of dough and set aside. We use this to test the temperature of the oil.
Using a well-oiled hand, divide the dough into 8 equal sized balls. The oily hands will prevent the dough balls from drying out.
Roll into balls.
Cover and set aside.
Cover and set aside. Be sure to cover, because the dough with dry out rather quickly.
Use a few drops of oil to grease a 6” plastic sheet.

Place one ball of dough on the sheet.
Using a well-oiled hand, press the dough into a 3.5” round puri. The puri should thick at the centre and thin at the edges.
Place one ball of the Kesari at the centre of the puri.

Fold the edges of the puri to cover the Kesari.
Roll into a ball so that the edges are sealed. Ensure there are no breaks from where the Kesari can leak.

Using a well-oiled hand, press this ball into a 5” puri. Ensure that the Kesari never breaks out of the dough cover

Test the heat of the oil.

{Pinch a small piece of dough from the marble-sized piece you set aside.Drop it into the oil.
The ball should rise to the surface.If it does not, heat the oil some more.Repeat the test.}

Gently slide the Sojjappam into the hot oil.
Fry till golden brown.

Flip over and fry the other side.
Using a slotted spoon, lift the Sojjappam out of the oil.
Hold it over the wok for a minute or so to ensure the excess oil drips off.
Place on a kitchen tissue.
Repeat steps 11 to 24 to make the other Sojjappalu.
Store in an air-tight container.

Savour by themselves. If you are feeling decadent, dip pieces in slightly sweetened milk and then savour. J

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Best regards,