Couscous Patties
Submitted by ossem1
South Indian couscous patties made with ground urad dal, green chilies, ginger, mustard seeds, and curry leaves. Vegetarian, spicy, and shaped by hand.
YIELD
30 pattiesPREP
20 minCOOK
15 minREADY
1 hrsThese Indian-style couscous patties use a ground urad dal batter as the binding agent, which is a classic South Indian technique you’ll recognize from idli and dosa making. The dal gets soaked, ground with green chilies and ginger, then cooked into the couscous mixture to hold everything together.
The tadka (tempering) of mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves, and dried red chilies in hot oil is where the aroma hits. That sputtering, popping oil infuses the water before the batter and couscous go in. The couscous absorbs the spiced liquid, and the whole mixture firms up into a moldable dough as it cools.
Shape into patties and serve with chutney or spaghetti sauce. They’re firm enough to pick up with your hands, with a satisfying chew from the couscous and a slow-building heat from the chilies.
Kitchen Tips
- Soak the urad dal for the full hour. Under-soaked dal doesn’t grind smooth and leaves a grainy texture in the batter.
- Use a potato masher to break up any batter clusters that form when you add it to the boiling water. Smooth consistency is key.
- Wet your hands when shaping the patties. The mixture is sticky and clings to dry hands.
Variations
- Add finely grated coconut to the cooled mixture before shaping for a subtly sweet, tropical note.
- Pan-fry the patties in a little oil until golden on both sides for a crispy exterior.
- Stir in chopped fresh cilantro before shaping for added color and herbiness.
Ingredients
Directions
Save about 2 teaspoon of urad dall and soak the rest of the urad dall in water for about an hour.
After an hour, grind the urad dahl, green chillies and ginger to the consistency of pancake batter and keep aside.
In a pan, heat the 2 teaspoon veg oil and add the mustard seeds, 2 teaspoon urad dall (that was saved), the curry leaves and the red chillies (after cutting them into fine pieces).
When the mustard seeds start spluttering and the urad dall starts turning golden brown, add 3½ cups of water and the urad dahl batter, mix well and close the pan.
When the water starts boiling, add salt.
(The batter already added will tend to form clusters- Don’t worry - Can be fixed later)
Add the couscous and mix thoroughly (use a potato masher and get rid of any clusters by mashing them well).
After the mixture has solidified, (This should not take more than 5 to 10 minutes) take the pan out of the heat and let cool.
After the mixture has cooled, take a small portion of the mixture and make into a patty and set aside.
(You can use some water and/or oil to make the patties if the batter is too sticky) The amounts mentioned in this recipe should yield about 30 patties.
Serve with sphaghetti sauce or any spicy chutney.
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