Ever crave something spicy, crispy on the outside, soft inside, and ready in minutes?

Kaara Paniyaram is the perfect South Indian tiffin snack for those days. Made using leftover idli batter and stuffed with a flavour-packed kara chutney, these paniyarams are everything you want in a teatime or breakfast dish: quick, satisfying, and irresistibly delicious.

Golden Stuffed Kaara Paniyaram turns a simple batter into a crowd-favourite snack. The contrast between the soft centre and the crispy outer layer makes it addictive — and the spicy chutney filling takes it to another level.

Perfect for breakfast, lunchbox, or evening snack, and a great idea for parties or family get-togethers.

A Little Background

Paniyaram (also called Kuzhi Paniyaram / Paddu / Gunta Ponganalu) is a traditional South Indian dish made using fermented idli batter. Traditionally, it was a smart way to use leftover batter so nothing went to waste. 

Over time, it evolved into multiple variations like sweet, spicy, stuffed, or masala and became a staple in Tamil and Karnataka households.

This stuffed version is a popular tiffin centre style, where the chutney inside gives a spicy surprise in every bite.

Why You’ll Love This Kaara Paniyaram

• Uses leftover idli batter — zero waste cooking
  
• Crispy outside, soft inside, spicy middle
  
• Perfect for lunchbox and kids snacks
  
• Easy to customise with vegetables or cheese
  
• Ready in minutes — no grinding or fermenting needed
  

Ingredient Breakdown 

• Idli batter — the airy, fermented base that gives softness and volume
  
• Tempering ingredients (urad dal, chana dal, mustard) — crunch and nutty flavour
  
• Onions, green chilli & curry leaves — the aromatics that transform the batter
  
• Salt & hing — balance flavour and aid digestion
  
• Kara chutney (onion, garlic, red chilli, tomato, tamarind) — tangy, spicy filling
  
• Peppers & garlic — heat and depth
  
• Oil/ghee — for crisp, golden edges
  

Let’s Walk Through the Cooking Flow

Start by preparing a flavourful tempering — heat oil, add urad dal, chana dal, and mustard seeds, and let them splutter. Add finely chopped onions, green chillies, curry leaves, hing, and salt. Sauté until soft and aromatic, then fold this into the idli batter gently. This instantly elevates plain batter into a spiced, flavour-rich base.

Next, make the kara chutney that becomes the heart of the paniyarams. Sauté onions, garlic, and tamarind in oil until they soften and turn glossy. Add red chillies and tomatoes with turmeric and salt, cook them until mushy, and grind into a smooth, bright red paste. Finish with a simple tempering to enhance flavour and cook until thick — this ensures the stuffing doesn’t leak during cooking.

Heat your paniyaram mould and grease each cavity generously. Pour a spoon of batter, place a small dollop of chutney filling in the center, and cover it with a little more batter. Add a few drops of oil on top, cover, and cook until the bottoms turn crisp and golden. Flip gently and cook the other side until beautifully browned.

What you get is a batch of crispy, soft, perfectly spicy stuffed paniyarams bursting with flavour in every bite.

Pro Tip 💡: Rest the batter with tempering for 10 minutes — the dals absorb moisture, improving texture and crispiness.

What to Serve With Kaara Paniyaram

Pairs beautifully with:

• Coconut chutney
  
• Tomato chutney
  
• Sambar
  
• Mint coriander dip
  

Packing & Storage

• Pack in a steel lunchbox lined with banana leaf for best freshness
  
• Stays soft for 4–5 hours
  
• Carry extra kara chutney separately for dipping
  

Party & Bulk Preparation

• Make chutney ahead of time and refrigerate
  
• Temper batter just before cooking
  
• Use multiple paniyaram pans to speed cooking
  
• Freeze the chutney filling for future batches

Other Related Recipes You Might Like:-

• Instant Rava Paniyaram – quick paniyaram variation made with rava and curd, perfect for busy mornings.
• Green Gram Vada – crispy protein-packed vada that makes a great snack alongside paniyaram.
• Soft Bun Dosa – soft and spongy dosa made with the same batter style as paniyaram.
• Set Dosa – soft Karnataka-style dosa that pairs perfectly with spicy chutneys.
• Multigrain Dosa – healthy dosa option made with a mix of grains.
• Peanut Chutney – bold and creamy chutney that pairs amazingly with paniyaram.
• Onion Chutney – spicy, tangy chutney perfect for South Indian tiffin items.
• Chettinad Rangoon Puttu – a traditional Chettinad delicacy that fits well in a tiffin breakfast spread.

Print Recipe

Crunchy

Kaara Paniyaram

Author: Hema Subramanian Cooking Method: Sauteing Cuisine: Indian, South Indian Courses: Breakfast, Brunch, Snack, Snacks Recipe Keys: B breakfast H high fiber T Tasty V vegetarian

Difficulty: Intermediate Prep Time 15 mins Cook Time 20 mins Total Time 35 mins

Servings: 4 Calories: 168

Best Season: Suitable throughout the year

Dietary:

H High-Fiber V Vegetarian

Description

Stuffed Kaara paniyaram is a delicious South Indian snack where soft, fluffy paniyaram is filled with a spicy and flavourful onion chutney inside. The tempering mixed into the batter adds a lovely aroma, while the chutney brings heat and tang to every bite. They turn beautifully golden and crisp on the outside while staying soft inside, making them perfect for breakfast, tiffin, or evening snack time. It’s simple to make, uses basic ingredients, and once you try it, you’ll definitely find yourself making it again because everyone at home will love it.

Ingredients

Cook Mode Cooking Mode Disabled

Scale

1/2x 1x 2x 3x

For batter tempering

• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp urad dal
• 1 tsp chana dal
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 onions (finely chopped)
• 2 green chilli (finely chopped)
• curry leaves (as needed)
• 1 tsp salt
• asafoetida (pinch)
• 2 cups idli batter

For spicy chutney

• 2 tbsp oil
• 2 onions (chopped)
• 10 garlic cloves
• tamarind (small piece)
• 5 red chilli
• 3 tomatoes (chopped)
• salt (as needed)
• turmeric (pinch)

For chutney tempering

• mustard seeds (as needed)
• urad dal (as needed)
• curry leaves (as needed)
• asafoetida (pinch)

For paniyaram

• oil (as needed for greasing and cooking)

Instructions

Prep Work

1. Chop vegetables

   Chop onions, green chillies, and tomatoes

2. Prepare chutney base

   Peel the garlic and keep tamarind ready

3. Prepare batter

   Keep the idli batter ready in a bowl

4. Heat paniyaram pan

   Place the pan on the stove to preheat

5. Grease moulds

   Grease the paniyaram moulds with oil

Method

1. Temper batter

   Heat oil and add urad dal, chana dal, and mustard seeds until they splutter

2. Saute onions

   Add onions and sauté on low flame for 2 to 3 minutes until soft and fragrant
   

3. Add flavour

   Add green chillies, curry leaves, salt, and asafoetida and mix well

4. Mix batter

   Add tempering to idli batter and mix gently
   

5. Cook chutney base

   Heat oil, add onions, garlic, and tamarind and sauté well until onion become translucent.
   

6. Add spices

   Add red chillies, tomatoes, salt, and turmeric and cook until mushy and turn off the stove.

7. Grind chutney

   Cool slightly and grind to smooth paste

8. Temper chutney

   Temper mustard, urad dal, red chillies, curry leaves, and asafoetida and mix with chutney until excess moisture evaporates.
   

9. Fill moulds

   Pour batter halfway into paniyaram moulds

10. Fill stuffing

    Place little chutney in center and cover with more batter
    

11. Cook paniyaram

    Drizzle oil, cover and cook until the bottom of paniyaram is golden and then flip and cook until golden and crisp

12. Serve

    Serve hot with chutneys
    

Equipment

• bowl

  

  Round Glass/Mixing Bowl big (2100ml) Buy Now
• Mixer

  

  Mixer Grinder for Kitchen (5 Jars 750 Watt Mixie)  Buy Now
• Pan

  

  Non-Stick Omega Deluxe Granite Fry Pan 24 Centimetre Buy Now

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Nutrition Facts

Servings 4

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Amount Per Serving

Calories 168kcal

% Daily Value *

Total Fat 7g11%

Saturated Fat 1g5%

Sodium 260mg11%

Potassium 220mg7%

Total Carbohydrate 22g8%

Dietary Fiber 3g12%

Sugars 4g

Protein 5g10%

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Vitamin A 310 IU

Vitamin C 24 mg

Calcium 38 mg

Iron 1.1 mg

Magnesium 23 mg

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Keywords: Kaara Paniyaram, stuffed Kaara Paniyaram, south indian tiffin, snacks

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