Vella Seedai Recipe for Gokulashtami

Vella Seedai is a delightful sweet snack traditionally made for Gokulashtami, also known as Sri Krishna Janmashtami. These sweet seedais are slightly larger than their savory counterparts and are made using jaggery syrup, fresh coconut, and a hint of cardamom for a flavorful twist.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Boiled Rice (Puzhungal Arisi)
• 2 tbsp Black Gram (Urad Dal, whole)
• 2 tbsp Sesame Seeds
• 1/4 cup Fresh Coconut (grated)
• 1/2 cup Jaggery (Paagu Vellam)
• 2 tbsp Water
• 1 tsp Cardamom Powder
• 2 tbsp Ghee (+ 1 tsp for greasing palms)

Preparation

1. Prepare the Rice Flour:
   • Wash and soak the rice for two hours, then drain the water.
   • Spread the soaked rice on a kitchen towel overnight to dry completely.
   • Once dry, blend it into a fine powder.
2. To prepare the dal and coconut mixture:
   • Roast the urad dal in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat until it emits a roasted aroma.
   • Blend the roasted dal into a fine powder and set it aside.
   • In the same pan, briefly roast the sesame seeds and grated coconut, then set them aside.
3. Mix the dry ingredients:
   • In a large wide bowl, combine the rice flour, urad dal powder, roasted coconut, sesame seeds, cardamom powder, and ghee.
   • Mix until you get a coarse, crumbly texture.
4. Prepare the jaggery syrup:
   • Take 1/2 cup powdered jaggery and mix it with 1/2 cup water.
   • Boil the mixture, stirring well until it reaches a hard ball consistency.
   • To check the correct consistency, drop a dollop of syrup into a small bowl of water. If it rolls up into a ball perfectly, it’s ready.
5. Add the jaggery syrup to the dry ingredients and knead to form a soft dough.
6. Now, add the rice flour and roasted urad dal flour mix and let it rest for one to two hours.
7. Shape and fry the seedai:
   • Grease your palms with ghee and gently shape the dough into small marble-sized balls.
   • Heat oil for deep frying and reduce the heat to low.
   • Gradually fry the seedai balls until they turn deep golden brown, stirring occasionally for even cooking.
   • Drain the fried seedai to remove excess oil and let them cool to make them crisp and crunchy.
8. Store the Vella Seedai in airtight containers. They make a perfect prasadham for Sri Krishna Janmashtami festivities.

Recipe

Follow the steps above to make delicious Vella Seedai for Gokulashtami.