For this month's Indian Cooking Challenge, we went on to make Sarvapindi, an exclusive snack from Telangana, Andhra. Usha happened to email me just when we finished Vennai Puttu and I thought I could ask her for ideas. She replied back with couple of traditional dishes from her region and I was surprised that I have never heard of the dishes she mentioned. Imagine hailing from an Andhra family, I didn't even know these snacks.
Sarvapindi is known by different names as sarvappa, ginnappa, etc. It is supposed to be a very popular snack among the telangana people. The name ginnappa/sarvapindi, is originated based on the cooking method involved in preparing this snack. Ginne or Sarva, means deep hallow cooking bowl, and appa or pindi means snack.
Googling for Sarvapindi, I landed in Rajani's Amma Cheppindi, one of the first bloggers I got to interact and I always enjoyed her space. Another one is Lavanya's Telangana Vantalu. Both the recipes were similar, except for using different lentil as the crunch factor.
As it is always, until the last moment I was still vacillating about when I should plan to make it. I normally keep my Saturday before the due date free for the ICC dish, this weekend it ended up being very hectic, and finally, it had to be on Sunday. And even though I made sure I got the rice flour, I overlooked the spring onion part. In all the three recipes, spring onions seem to be the main herb used. However, I noticed that Usha mentioned that one can make this dish even without that.
Only when I read the recipe properly I found the similarity between the regular Biyam Roti / Akki Roti. This recipe varies in the fact that it uses Sesame Seeds. The rest of it is almost the same, though if one strictly thinks about making this roti in a hollow pan, it surely makes it different.
Though we started making it, after the first one, we realized that Athamma is a pro when it comes to patting down rottis. So she finally made them, while I cooked.
Step by Step Picture Recipe for making Sarva Pindi
Athamma made those shapes, remembering her mom who used to make it this way!
Sarva Pindi | Ginnappa
Rice Flour - 1 cup / 165 grams
Sesame Seeds - 1/4 cup
Roasted Peanuts, soaked - 2 tbsp / little less than 1/4 cup
Green Chilies - 5 - 6 / Green Chili Paste coarsely ground - 3/4 tbsp.
Cumin Seeds / Jeera - 1 tsp.
Garlic - 1 medium size clove
Onion, finely chopped - 1/3 – 1/2 cup
Green Onion, chopped - 1 / 2 tbsp. (heaps) / loosely packed chopped Green Onion - 1/4 cup
Coriander leaves/cilantro - 1/2 cup tightly packed chopped
Curry leaves, chopped - 5-6
Salt to taste
Water - 1/3 cup, may need little less than this
Oil - 2- 3 tsps. per pancake
How to make Sarva Pindi
Wash sesame seeds in warm water.
Roast the peanuts, remove the skin by crushing with your hands. Make sure the peanuts are split, as otherwise it will be difficult to pat them down. Then soak the peanuts in water. This can be approx. 10 minutes during your prep work.
Coarsely grind green chilies. 1/2 chopped onion, garlic, jeera, and salt to a fine paste. Wash and chop the herbs.
In a bowl take rice flour, add chili and onion pastes. Mix until the pastes are nicely blended into the flour.
Add peanuts, remaining chopped onions, herbs and mix well. Taste the flour and adjust the seasoning. You can add a little chili powder if it is not spicy enough.
Gradually add some lukewarm water to make a soft dough. The dough should be like chapati dough.
Divide the dough into 3 equal parts and make round balls.
Rub a 10” frying pan with 1 tsp. oil.
Take one of the dough balls and press it into a flat cake in the pan. Use your fingers to press the cake. The thinner the cake, the crunchier it will be. Using your index finger, make holes to the cake.
Sprinkle or lightly brush ½ - 1 tsp. oil on the pancake. Or you can pour little oil in the holes.
Put the pan on medium heat, cover, and cook it for 5 minutes.
Remove the cover, reduce the flame to medium low- low heat and cook for 10 minutes or until the cake is light golden brown in color. Move the pan around every 2-3 minutes for even cooking. This can be achieved by moving the pan to the sides so that all the sides are evenly cooked.
Flip the cake over and cook for another 2 1/2 minutes. Remove from the pan.
Let the pan cool and repeat the same steps for the rest of the dough balls.
Notes:
Looks like this is a recipe that is typically done by approximation. One thing that we should remember is, for 1 cup of rice flour, we need to use at least 1/4 cup sesame seeds.
Be very liberal with herbs and cook it on low heat.
Sarvapindi is usually cooked in a very wide pan with a very liberal amount of oil on very low heat. The amount of oil mentioned is the minimum. For crunchier taste and, if one wants to indulge oneself, they can use up to 4 tsp. per pancake.
Cooking time might be appro 15 - 20 minutes. Most of the cooking is done on one side only, though I did on both
Along with peanuts, Channa dal - handful (soak for 2 hours in water) or Putnalu pappu - handful (no need for soaking) can also be used.
It is usually faster to use 2 pans to spread up the process.
This can be cooked only on low heat or you can adjust with medium to low.
I overlooked the pan part and cooked on a hollow tawa, and we pressed down the roti on a plastic sheet and transferred on to the hot tawa.
Variation:
Peeled and grated bottle gourd can also be added to the dough. If using bottle gourd, you can use only chili powder instead of green chilies. Also, you may not require any water to make the dough, as grated bottle gourd releases water.
This is served hot and tastes hot. It becomes a little soft after it cools. It still stays good for one day in an air tight container and need not refrigerate it. If you use bottle gourd it has to be eaten the same day.
The same dough can be used to make garelu / chekkalu / nipattu. Make discs and deep fry it.
Recipe
Sarva Pindi | Ginnappa ~ Andhra Special | How to make Sarva Pindi Step By Step Recipe | Indian Cooking Challenge - February
Ingredients
- 1 cup (165 grams) Rice Flour
- 1/4 cup Sesame Seeds
- 2 tbsp Roasted Peanuts soaked little less than 1/4 cup
- 5 - 6 Green Chilies / Green Chili Paste coarsely ground - 3/4 tbsp
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds / Jeera
- 1 medium size clove Garlic
- 1/3 – 1/2 cup Onions finely chopped
- 1/2 tbsp Green Onion chopped (heaps / loosely packed chopped Green Onion - 1/4 cup)
- 1/2 cup Coriander Leaves / Cilantro (tightly packed, chopped)
- 5 - 6 Curry Leaves chopped
- Salt to taste
- 1/3 cup Water may need little less than this
- 2 - 3 tsp Cooking Oil per pancake
Instructions
How to make Sarva Pindi
- Wash sesame seeds in warm water.
- Roast the peanuts, remove the skin by crushing with your hands. Make sure the peanuts are split, as otherwise it will be difficult to pat them down. Then, soak the peanuts in water. This can be approximately 10 minutes during your prep work.
- Coarsely grind green chilies, 1/2 chopped onion, garlic, jeera, and salt to a fine paste. Wash and chop the herbs.
- In a bowl, take rice flour, add chili and onion pastes. Mix until the pastes are nicely blended into the flour.
- Add peanuts, remaining chopped onions, herbs and mix well. Taste the flour and adjust the seasoning. You can add a little chili powder if it is not spicy enough.
- Gradually add some lukewarm water to make a soft dough. The dough should be like chapati dough.
- Divide the dough into 3 equal parts and make round balls.
- Rub a 10” frying pan with 1 tsp cooking oil.
- Take one of the dough balls and press it into a flat cake in the pan. Use your fingers to press the cake. The thinner the cake, the crunchier it will be. Using your index finger, make holes to the cake.
- Sprinkle or lightly brush 1/2 - 1 tsp cooking oil on the pancake. Or, you can pour little cooking oil in the holes.
- Put the pan on medium heat, cover, and cook it for 5 minutes.
- Remove the cover, reduce the flame to medium low - low heat and cook for 10 minutes or until the cake is light golden brown in color. Move the pan around every 2 - 3 minutes for even cooking. This can be achieved by moving the pan to the sides so that all the sides are evenly cooked.
- Flip the cake over and cook for another 2 & 1/2 minutes. Remove from the pan.
- Let the pan cool and repeat the same steps for the rest of the dough balls.
Notes
Looks like this is a recipe that is typically done by approximation. One thing that we should remember is, for 1 cup of rice flour, we need to use at least 1/4 cup sesame seeds.
Be very liberal with herbs and cook it on low heat.
Sarvapindi is usually cooked in a very wide pan with a very liberal amount of cooking oil on very low heat. The amount of oil mentioned is the minimum. For crunchier taste and, if one wants to indulge oneself, they can use up to 4 tsp per pancake.
Cooking time might be approx. 15 - 20 minutes. Most of the cooking is done on one side only, though I did on both.
Along with peanuts, Channa dal - handful (soak for 2 hours in water) or Putnalu pappu - handful (no need for soaking) can also be used.
It is usually faster to use 2 pans to spread up the process.
This can be cooked only on low heat or you can adjust with medium to low.
I overlooked the pan part and cooked on a hollow tawa, and we pressed down the roti on a plastic sheet and transferred on to the hot tawa.
Variation: Peeled and grated bottle gourd can also be added to the dough. If using bottle gourd, you can use only chili powder instead of green chilies.
Also, you may not require any water to make the dough, as grated bottle gourd releases water.
This is served hot and tastes hot. It becomes a little soft after it cools. It still stays good for one day in an air tight container and need not refrigerate it. If you use bottle gourd it has to be eaten the same day.
The same dough can be used to make garelu / chekkalu / nipattu. Make discs and deep fry it.
Tried this recipe?Mention @spicingyourlife_ or tag #spicingyourlife_!
Jayanthi says
Hi Srivalli,
I published Sarvapindi in my blog. It was a real challenge to try this recipe but well worth it. Thanks for the recipe.
Smitha says
that looks like a yummy breakfast...tho I can have it anytime!...i am soo missing ICC
sangee vijay says
very interesting one, never tasted this before...bookmarking it...Thanks for sharing!!
Hemavathi Murari says
Just a great recipe, but lot of patience goes in when you have to fry it.
Nutan says
Looks delicious Valli. I have posted my link.
vaishali sabnani says
even I cooked both sides ..but with the thin ones actually there is no need...thanks for the lovely recipe.
nivedita says
VALLI
HI, I AM BACK HERE AFTER 5 MONTHS. HOPE THATS FINE...
I LOVED THIS ONE:-)
Mélange ! says
Looks absolutely delicious.I will try to make it even after the deadline..Tempting.
Aarthi says
This is such a wonderful recipe..Thanks for posting it..Bookmarked..
rekhas kitchen says
Thanks for remainding me this recipe valli. Posted mine and nice step by step pic... ohh yes thank to Usha too.
Harini-Jaya Rupanagudi says
thanks Valli,
it was indeed a very crunchy snack and the kids loved it!
Rasi says
Hi Valli.. have posted my ginappa :)..
Preeti Garg says
sorry 4 late reply i had come today mrng
Gayathri Kumar says
Valli, Sorry I am late, but I posted it and linked it to the linky.