Pori Urundai | Rice Puff Ladoo | Vegan and Gluten Free Ladoo Recipe | Karthigai Deepam Recipes

Hi Supermoms,

The 'Pori Urundai' or the 'Rice Puff Ladoo' is a traditional sweet recipe of South India, especially Tamilnadu. Infact, rice puff is a favourite all time snack in many households. You  can have them plain or mix them with peanuts or toss them with spices, they  taste so delicious . Simple and un assuming rice puff is also an affordable snack.

 Just like the savoury snacks, the sweet version using just two ingredients, jaggery and rice puffs is equally popular. The jaggery is boiled and brought to a two string consistency and the puffs are tossed in them and then shaped into ladoos/balls. 

They are stored in huge jars and is enjoyed by every one in the family. There are different types of rice puffs available in South India and you can make ladoos with each of them using the same method. You can also add peanuts or roasted gram dal along with the rice puffs. But I like to make separate ladoos with each of them . I had earlier shared the Kadalai Urundai /Peanut Ladoo recipe and many of you had tried and were so happy with the outcome. Thank you so much for the feedback.

This ladoo is very similar in terms of the technique and all you need to know is to understand the jaggery you will be using and adjust the quantity according to it's stickiness.

It is most ideal to use pagu vellam ( jaggery used for making traditional sweets ) to make this ladoo. The colour of the ladoos will differ depending upon the colour of jaggery. I have used the jaggery ( desi gur) that is available in winters here which are much darker. 

A simple and tasty snack recipe that has been a part of Karthigai Deepam Festival celebrations for decades. 

Pori Urundai :

Preparation time : 5 minutes

Cooking time : 15-20 minutes

Makes : 18 large ladoos

1 cup = 250 ml cup

Special Vessel : Iron Kadai/wok

Ingredients :

4 - 4 1/2 cups cups pori/rice puffs

1/2  cup jaggery  ( powdered and loosely packed)

1/4 cup water

1 green cardamon ( powdered finely without the skin)

1 teaspoon ghee /clarified butter ( for greasing hands ) ( use oil if you are vegan)

Method :

1. Heat a kadai and add the puffed rice and keep stirring them  for 1 minute and transfer them to a large vessel/container.

2. Heat the iron kadai with jaggery, add water and allow the jaggery to melt completely.

3. Filter the jaggery water and transfer it back to the kadai and start heating.

5. Keep stirring the jaggery over low flame, add cardamom powder.

6. Keep a small cup with water and when the jaggery starts to thicken and foam, just drop little syrup into the water.

7. The drops should not mix with water, you must be able to roll it and when you drop it into the bowl, you must be able to hear a sound.

Chef Tip: We are looking for a two string consistency, so the small droplets of syrup should make a sound like a pebble when dropped into the water from a height( see pic)

8. Switch off , add the puffed rice and mix well.

9. Grease hands with little oil or ghee and roll them to make ladoos while they are hot.

Chef Tip : If the mixture turns cold, it will be difficult to shape them. Put them back on heat just for a minute and shape them . 

Pori Urundai is ready. You can store them in a clean air tight container and it keeps good for upto 10 days.

Happy Cooking !

With love,

Masterchefmom