Chekodilu - Koye Chekodilu

This is a koye-chekodilu recipe.

2 cups Rice
1 cup Urad dal - Minnapappu
1/4 " Butter stick
1 tsp Red Chili Powder (use as wanted)
2 tsp Sesame seeds - Nuvulu
1 tsp Jeera
Hing
Oil for frying


Dry fry rice, dal and sesame seeds separately in a skillet on low flame. Leave butter stick outside so that it becomes soft.

Dry grind rice and dal with 1 tsp of jeera in a mixer jar (in small batches) so it will be done to a smooth flour quickly.

Empty the mixed flour in a bowl add sesame seeds, hing, red chili powder, salt, butter stick and using small portions of water make into nice dough, the consistency of chapatti dough. Mix the dough thoroughly without leaving any flour pockets. They will burst open while frying, so, double check to be safe.

Using dry rice flour as a base, roll the dough into small circles pressing with the palms of the hands. Get them ready before heating the oil.

This is a lengthy process but can be swiftly made by rolling out the whole dough first and cutting and having logs of dough ready to be rolled. Place a damp cloth or tissue while working on a batch. Place them on a plate sprayed with Pam. This will help from not sticking to each other.

Heat oil in a kadai (I personally prefer a traditional concave shape kadai for maximum usage of space with less oil) and never let the oil be screaming hot! It burns the first batch.

Drop each one gently in the oil till the kadai is full. Do not move the chekodi in the oil immediately, this will mess the shape, after a few minutes (1 or 2) use tongs or a strainer and turn it the other way. Have the flame in low/medium so that all of them are nicely done inside and outside.

Remove when they have all turned into a nice golden color. Place them on paper towels so the excess oil is absorbed.

Chekodilu have a good shelf life. Save in an air tight container. These are addictive and cannot be stopped from eating ONE more! It is a lengthy process but all worth it, trust me.