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Porulvilanga Urundai is a wholesome snack deeply rooted in village tradition. I first tasted it through my late great-grandmother, Mrs Damayanthi, who lived an inspiring 103 years. She grew up working in cotton fields and, even after moving to the city, carried the wisdom and flavours of her rural roots. As a child, she would lovingly prepare this nutrient-rich treat for me, making it more than just a snack. It was nourishment infused with love.
When I started learning to cook, mastering her recipe became my top priority. I wanted to recreate it with the same grace, precision, and wisdom passed down through generations. Sadly, in today’s modern world, these sweet balls have almost vanished, and many have never heard of this simple, age-old delicacy despite its ease of preparation and incredible health benefits.
Porulvilanga Urundai is a nutritional gem, perfect for children, free from artificial preservatives, and a shining example of traditional Indian food culture turning everyday ingredients into something balanced, wholesome, and enduring. Stored in an airtight container, it lasts up to three months. Over time, the name has evolved to “Porivilanga.”
Porulvilanga Urundai
Preparation time: 20 mins
Cooking time: 20 mins
Total time: 40 mins
Yield: Makes 15 balls
1 cup parboiled rice
1/2 cup Moong dal
1 cup peanuts
3 tbsp roasted gram/Pottu Kadalai
2 tbsp black sesame seeds
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
1/2 tsp dry ginger/Sukku powder
A pinch of salt
For Jaggery Syrup:
1 cup jaggery
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
Start by heating a kadai on low flame and dry roasting the moong dal until it turns golden brown. Transfer it to a plate to cool. In the same kadai, dry roast the parboiled rice until slightly browned, then let it cool completely. Grind the cooled moong dal and rice together into a coarse powder, keeping aside one-fourth of it for coating the balls later. Next, dry roast the peanuts until their skins come off, remove the skins, and set them aside. Roast the black sesame seeds until they start crackling, and roast the roasted gram until light brown. Combine the peanuts, sesame seeds, and roasted gram with the ground powder, then mix in salt, cardamom powder, and dry ginger powder. In a separate pan, heat jaggery, water, and ghee together until the syrup reaches a soft-ball consistency. Pour this hot jaggery syrup into the mixture and stir well. Finally, shape the mixture into firm balls and roll them in the reserved dal-rice powder for coating.
Avanthika Nagalakshmi is a food technologist from Tamil Nadu