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Vella Seedai (Sweet Cheedai)
By
DK
on Aug 13, 2009
After eating my mother's ears off to get this recipe with lots of tips and tricks (can't help but love her!), I sat down to bribe Lord Krishna for this Janmashtami ( Krishna's Bday ) with something sweet after all those delicious savory. snacks . Uppu cheedai has a sweet counterpart which is this Vella Cheedai. The word "vella" in tamil denotes Vellam which means Jaggery. This recipe which is almost same as Salt cheedai uses jaggery syrup to add to its sweetness which going by Indian sweets is not that sweet.
I still remember the days of Krishna Jayanthi back home when my mom used to end up eating Vella Seedai all alone since rest of us (my dad, my sis and me) would eat (and finish) the rest of the savories!!!! Its a good thing that my mom has sweet tooth (no..I should say teeth or mouth!) since the rest of us dint seem to share her sugary palate. I hear things have changed a bit back home - my father has a sudden fascination for sweets nowadays ( or to be more precise ever since he was advised against eating them thanks to diabetes) and my sister also seems to have taken fancy to sweets (ever since she became 'figure' conscious!) Go Figure ;)
As for me, I haven't changed much on that end and I have a partner who is just like me! So for those who wonder what I end up doing with all cakes and sweet nothings that I make at Chef In You - well all I will tell you is that "I make a great neighbor" ;)
Now lets go and make this Vella Cheedai and give it to Lord Krishna shall we?
As for me, I haven't changed much on that end and I have a partner who is just like me! So for those who wonder what I end up doing with all cakes and sweet nothings that I make at Chef In You - well all I will tell you is that "I make a great neighbor" ;)
Now lets go and make this Vella Cheedai and give it to Lord Krishna shall we?
Basic Information
Prep Time: 1 to 2 hours
Cook Time: Under 15 min
Yield: Makes around 20-25 depending on the size
Ingredients
- 1 cup sifted Rice Flour
- 2 tsp Urad Dal flour / Ullathamaavu (See how to make here)
- 1 tbsp freshly grated coconut ( or if you can, cut small thinly chopped coconut pieces)
- 1 cup Jaggery
- pinch of cardamom powder
- 1/4 tsp white Sesame seeds ( I personally like sesame seeds, hence added a little more)
Method
1
If you have those thick slabs/chunks of jaggery, then using some heavy stone, skillet or mortar base - break them into small pieces. Or if you have the patience, grate the jaggery.
2
Pour down 1 cup of hot water to the jaggery and let it sit for at least 40 minutes.
3
This is to help the jaggery get soft making it easier to break it down easily. If you are using grated jaggery, then few minutes with water should do to make it come together like a syrup.
4
Meanwhile, in a skillet dry roast the rice flour until aromatic - about a minute or so. Do it in low heat - don't burn the flour. Set aside to cool it down.
5
In the same skillet, dry toast the sesame seeds - less than 30 seconds or so. Set aside.
6
Add 1/2 tsp Ghee, and the coconut pieces and give it a stir until the raw smell of the coconut is replaced by toasted coconut - about 30-50 sec. Set aside.
7
Now using a strainer, strain the jaggery water mixture. It will remove all big pieces and debris if any.
8
Warm this jaggery syrup in the same skillet. Add cardamom powder. Give it one quick stir and take off the stove. This is only to warm it a bit.
9
Add all the dry ingredients together along with coconut.
10
Now slowly spoon by spoon add the jaggery syrup to form one tight dough. Too much liquid will spoil the recipe.
11
Sometimes depending on the quality of the flour, you may require the full jaggery syrup or just half of it. So take care of the liquid addition.
12
Set aside for at least 30 min. This enables the flour to absorb all the flavors. Place a damp cloth/paper towel. Take a small piece of the dough and using a greased palm, roll it out into small balls. These are usually a little bigger than Uppu seedai
13
Drop few at a time in oil and deep fry.
14
Lots of bubbles will appear in the beginning
15
Slowly move it around to prevent it from sticking to one another.
16
Fry to deep brown. A few cracks here and there on the surface of these Seedai's are perfectly normal. Just make sure that they don't come apart - then something is surely wrong!
17
Make sure the oil is med-high hot - too hot, the outer will blacken faster but the inside wont get done. Drain in paper towels to remove excess oil.
Enjoy, of course after praying and making an offering to Lord Krishna - remember it was for him in the first place(!!)
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I made your uppu and vella seedai for Janmashtami 2012. Both were very successful. My first time making it, and the whole family loved them. Thanks so much for the very helpful step by step recipes and pictures! Wish you a happy festival season coming up. S
GOING TO TRY THIS YEAR. THANKS FOR THE TIPS FROM GETTING BURST. HOPE MY SEEDAIS WILL COME NICE.
I have never tried vella cheedai and I may try this year with the help of this instructions
Thank you for your interesting rendition of making the vella cheedai and uppu cheedai. They both cam out well, I have also shared the recipe to my family. What I liked about your site is that you have given a step by step explanation followed by pictures and in the case of uppu cheedai you mentioned all the scenarios that one has experienced or heard of, which kept me away from preparing the recipe.
Hi, is there a test for doneness after the cheedai is out of the oil, mine sometimes is not fully cooked, there r some wet flour in the centre!
i followed yuor recipe and tried vela cheedai for the very first time and it turned out really delicious and just perfect…
Thanks for the recipe. My wife loves Vella cheedai. I surprised her with the help of yr recipe. She enjoyed it. Thanks again
Hi, I made this recipe, added my picture and comments, it is displayed in the home page, but not under the recipe.
I just noticed keerthi that you wrote the feedback in the “About” section of Chef In You. You are supposed to click “I Made This” button in this recipe. Here is the link – http://chefinyou.com/i-made-this/?recipeid=1688. Click the link and copy paste the same feedback and upload the picture (which looks delicious by the way:)) in here. It will display under this recipe
Hi DK….I tried your recipe for vella seedhai….and it did turn out well..But i would like to know, what goes wrong, in case the seedhai falls apart? Is it due to too much jaggery or too much urad dal flour? Please help….
I think it has to do with the consistency of the dough. It should be perfectly pliable – must be moist yet not sticky. If that’s achieved then it wont fall apart. Of course, the ratio of the ingredients also matter – that’s for all such recipes in general to maintain the science behind it
If I come across any other reason will update this space for sure.
Wow. Vella cheedai looks ossooommmmmmmmmmmmm……………. I am 9 years into my marriage and not a single year this has turned up good. Dunno why. Many people say that u have to keep thakkali pazha paagu for the vella cheedai, but i see that u ask us to just boil it. Which method is to be followed. Pls clarify. My son (4 years) like vella cheedai so much, hence really want to gift it to Lord Krishna and then to my kutti krishna. Photos are really great.
You can follow the same method as given in the recipe for this to work…:) Hope you get it bang on this time
Happy janmashtami
I put one cup jaggery,but the vella cheedai dissolved in oil. what to do
oh my god! all your recipes look mouthwatering
…thanks for the wonderful pictures…it is Krishnashtami for us tomorrow and I am definitely going to try your recipes…!! will let you know how they turned out.
hi,
thank you for ur great recipe.i made this for krishna jayanthi.came out very well.got lot of praises from my husband and fatherinlaw.thanks again .continue ur good work!
Lavanya
Lol @ Priya’s comment.Have to say,that thought crossed my mind too.Read in FB that you made all this in less than 2 hrs..really have to ask..How old are YOU???:):):)
i love all your pictures, very yummy!
Hey there, I have passed you an award. Hope you could come and check it out at my blog =)
Cheers,
tracieMoo
So you’ve resorted to bribing the higher beings huh?
What’s next?
DK !!! fried food is a big no no.. u know that … but Id like to try this when my mom comes here . she loves sweets too !
Looks so delicious. Thanks for the recipe. I’ve got to make this some day =)
They look perfect DK, fantastic clicks, i must say u really ROCK!
Good one:) I wish I was your neighbour:)
I too made it but mine with full of cracks ..Urs is looking too gud!!
How old are you DK??I have seen only grandmas making such perfect vella cheedais..:-)Incredible job.
LOLLLLLLLL! I couldnt stop smiling. This is such a huge compliment – have to flaunt it to my mom!:) I am less than even half of most of the grandmas age
– DK
These look soooo tempting, loved the way u have presented the recipe!
They look pretty Div! I love anything with jaggery. Maybe I should try this sometime!
That sounds so good, a bit challenging maybe, but I have bookmarked to try