PigeonPeas Stuffed Ballpancakes -- Sweet and Shallow-fried

This recipe comes straight from my MIL's kitchen. She loves making foods that scream "tradition" and is quite an expert at making long-forgotten dishes that people either don't care for or care to make or simply don't have the time to make. Most of us are living in the fast lane after-all. Why bother when we have pre-cooked meal choices, snack bars and restaurant in every corner, right? Well that is where some of us err. Nothing beats home cooked and certainly nothing beats meals/snacks made from scratch.Agreed that it can't be done on a daily basis.But now and then we have to take the time to do things "old school".So here it is..a sensational dish that is a thing from the past..Suyam, shallow fried style. For the uninitiated, Suyam is sort of a cross between Kuzhi Paniyaram(Pancake Puff) and Puran Poli(Sweet-Stuffed Flat bread).
Hey, come back first week of February for yet another sweet surprise in the form or Puran Poli, MIL way. The stuffing is unusual.:)

Ingredients:
Filling:

• Split PigeonPeas(Toor Dhal/Tuvar Dhal) - 1 cup
  
• Jaggery(Un-refined sugar or Raw Sugar) - 3/4 cup, smashed
• Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
• Grated Coconut - 1/4 cup

Coating/Overlay:

• Maida/All-purpose flour - 1 cup
• Rice Flour - 1/4 cup
• Salt - a pinch
• Baking soda - 1/4 tsp 
• Oil - for greasing
  

Tool:

• Pancake Puff Pan - As seen on TV

Procedure:

• Bring water to a roiling boil in a stock pot. Add the split PigeonPeas and cook it until its tender but retaining shape.Drain.
• In a blender, add the cooked dhal, powdered jaggery,cardamom powder and grated coconut. Grind with very little water and make a fine paste.
• If the mixture gets soggy, move it to a pan and thicken before dividing it into even balls.
• In a bowl, add the ingredients under "Coating" and mix it with water to form a thick batter.Let it sit for 15 minutes.
  
• Heat the Pancake Puff pan and add little oil into the wells. 
• Dip the filling into the thick batter making sure its coated completely.Drop it gently into the wells and cook until its browned evenly.

• Serve hot by itself or drizzle honey on top.

Enjoy!