Undluga | Undlaka | Sweet Rice dumplings

‘Undluga’ as this very unique and authentic Coastal Karnataka style dumplings are called in the local lingo, is also known as ‘Undlaka’. There are different variations to Undluga itself. This version is the steam cooked and jaggery syrup soaked sweet dumpling.

‘Vishu’/’Sauramana Ugadi’ is celebrated in the Coastal Karnataka belt by few communities to mark the beginning of the new year as per the Solar Calendar. This day is the first day of the month – Mesha, which roughly comes around the Mid of April month as per the English Calendar.

To mark this occasion, we begin our day by seeing the auspicious ‘Kani’, followed by taking oil bath, wearing new clothes, taking blessings from elders, chanting ‘Mangalashtaka’ and ‘Suprabhata’, performing pooja and offering sweet dishes to the Almighty.

In the olden days, ‘Undlaga’ used to be the most commonly prepared sweet for Ugadi.

With times, the traditions are bound to change and even more so on account of time and material constraints.

This time, I thought I should try out some authentic Ugadi/Vishu special Coastal Karnataka sweet and my dad suggested this and said, “I can just name it. For recipe, your mom would be a better person to check.”. Yes. This is her recipe, which came out so well when I tried.

It is certainly not as difficult as I thought it to be!!! In fact, it is one of the easiest sweet dishes that I have prepared in recent times.

Let’s quickly check out the recipe:

Total time: 100 minutes

Preparation time: 70 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Makes: About 50 – 60 small dumplings

 Ingredients:

Rice:  1 cup

Grated coconut: 0.5 cup

Jaggery: 0.75 cup

Salt: To taste

Cardamom: 4

Method:

Quick Video :

 

• In a pan, fry the rice lightly for a few minutes. Soak this rice in water for about an hour

• Grind the soaked rice, fresh grated coconut and salt to a smooth batter

• In a pan, pour the batter and heat it over medium heat with continuous stirring until the batter combines to form a smooth kneadable dough

• Remove from heat and knead gently for a minute

• Grease your palm with little ghee and make tiny balls and keep them aside

• In a pot, add about 3/4th cup of water and bring it to boil. Now, reduce the heat and transfer the rice balls to it and cover the pot. Cook it in low heat for about 10 minutes. ( Stir once in a while to ensure that the balls don’t stick to the bottom of the pot)

• Remove the lid, stir gently. Add the jaggery powder and cardamom powder. Mix gently. Continue heat on low flame until the jaggery syrup is formed. This will take another 10 minutes. The jaggery syrup is not just absorbed by the rice dumplings but also brings a glazed finish to the sweet

• Carefully mix and remove from heat

 

Undluga / Undlaka is ready to serve !!!

Undluga stories:

I would like to refer to this sweet dish as Rice-jaggery rasgulla, our local Coastal Karnataka version of Rasgulla,. I don’t remember having consumed this often as it was prepared by mom on special occasions only. But yes, whenever she did, all of us would jump on it and finish within no time. Likewise, I don’t remember consuming it when cold, though I admit it tastes heavenly when eaten fresh and hot. Yum… the steam cooked soft and non-sticky rice balls immersed and soaked in cardamom flavoured jaggery syrup leaves you in a totally different world. Before you realise, the bowl full of undlugas is emptied!!! Needless to say, my daughter and my hubby too love it a lot!