Teepi Gavvalu also called as Bellam Gavvalu are traditional Andhra sweet snack made with jaggery and flour. Gavvalu is the Telugu name for Sea Shells. This sweet is much similar to Kerala Kulkus and Goan Kalkal recipe. These crunchy and mildly sweet gavvalu are vegan and stays fresh for 2 weeks.
Cooking with Friends
The bliss of living in community is that you get to know about other cultures, traditions and moreover you even get to taste yum goodies that they prepare during festivals and special occasions. I told you before too, I loved Chennai from day one. From the time I landed here, I got good neighbors who became friends very soon. As they know I am food blogger and blogs about recipes, they share their recipes with me and also bring food when they cook something new or something which I have never tasted before.
In my apartment, during festivals, if my friends are not going hometown, we all gather at one person’s house and cook together. Later we share accordingly whatever we have prepared. It’s so much fun. Cooking together not only saves time but also teaches us whole new tips and tricks of making the same recipes.
Cooking along we share warm and nostalgic memories of mom’s and grandma’s kitchens. We chit-chat on whole lot of things from politics to everyday breakfast ideas. I get less work to do as I will be the official photographer at any cook together events. Girls though camera shy, pause for me to record each and every single step and even ask me whether I got the shot right or do they need to repeat it again. Sweet isn’t it??
Sweet Sea Shells Recipe
As Holi is round the corner and summer break is going to begin for kids, we thought of making some sweet and savory snacks to munch. As we sat to make list on what to make, my dear friend Lav suggested making these teepi gavvalu. In Teepi Gavvalu, teepi means sweet and gavvalu means sea shells. As this sweet looks much like sea shells, this recipe is also called as sweet sea shells.
During my childhood days, gavvulu were my favorite. The shape of these always fascinated me. But I never knew that these gavvalu can be made at home easily. There is a savory version of making these sweet shells and they are called Karam Gavvalu. Soon, I will try to share the recipe of karam gavvalu too. Till then learn how to make these crunchy and sweet Andhra Bellam Gavvalu Recipe by following these simple steps.
Stepwise Recipe to make Teepi Gavvalu | గవ్వలు చేసే విధానం
- Swift the flour in a wide bowl and add salt. Add ghee to this and start kneading by adding water. Knead till you get soft dough. Cover and set aside for 10 minutes.
- Knead the dough for 1 minute and divide it into 1’inch small balls. Take one ball at a time and using a ‘gavvalu chekka’ (wooden mold used in making these gavvalu, you can see it in picture) or you can use grater or fork to shape these gavvalu.
- Heat enough oil for deep frying and when the oil is hot enough, check it by dropping a pinch small ball, if the ball sizzles and reaches top then the oil is ready for deep frying.
- Carefully and very slowly drop one by one prepared gavvalu into hot oil. Deep fry on low flame until they are cooked completely.
- Drain onto a kitchen tissue and do the same until you completely all the dough.
- Now pound the jaggery or you can even grate the jaggery. Add this to a heavy bottom cooking vessel along with 1 cup of water and crushed cardamom pods.
- On medium high flame, stir till jaggery melts. Strain this mixture and again keep the strained mixture back on stove.
- Continue cooking by stirring in between till the syrup thickens. Keep a glass of water ready and when the syrup starts to thicken, add a drop into that water.
- Bring it together to form a ball, if you can roll it into a ball (as shown in the picture above) then the consistency is correct. Turn off the flame and add above fried ‘gavvalu’.
- In quick motion using a large wooden spoon or ladle stir in to get gavvalu fully coated with jaggery syrup. You need to be very careful while doing this. As the jaggery syrup is hot and it will start to thicken and
dry soon. - Leave till they reach room temperature. Take them into a sterilized air tight container and store. These stay fresh for 2 weeks.
- Add love to make this recipe taste ‘Yummy’.
Best Indian Jar Snack Recipes
Yield: 30
Teepi Gavvalu Recipe
Teepi Gavvalu also called as Bellam Gavvalu is a sweet jar snack Andhra recipe. Vegan, crunchy and mildly sweet gavvalu are perfect munching snack.
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
25 minutes
Total Time
40 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 cups All purpose Flour/Maida
- ½ tbsp. Salt
- 2 tbsp. Ghee, at room temperature
- Water, as required
- Oil for deep frying
FOR OUTER COATING:
- 300 g Jaggery
- 1 cup Water
- 4-5 green Cardamoms
Instructions
How to make Gavvalu at Home
STEP 1: Making Dough for Gavvalu
- Swift the flour in a wide bowl and add salt.
- To this add ghee to this and start kneading by adding water. Knead till you get soft dough. Cover and set aside for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, knead the dough again for 1 minute.
- Divide the dough into 1’inch small balls. Take one ball at a time and using a ‘gavvalu chekka’ or grater or fork or clean comb shape the gavvalu.
STEP 2: Frying Gavvalu
- In the meantime, heat enough oil for deep frying. Drop a small ball of dough in the hot oil, if it sizzles and reaches top then oil is ready for deep frying.
- Carefully and very slowly drop one by one prepared gavvalu into hot oil.
- Deep fry on low flame until they are cooked completely. Drain onto a kitchen tissue and do the same until you complete all the dough.
STEP 3: Making Jaggery Syrup
- Take jaggery in a thick bottom vessel and add 1 cup of water to it.
- Stir till jaggery melts. Now add crushed cardamom pods.
- Continue cooking by stirring in between till the syrup thickens. Keep a glass of water ready and when the syrup starts to thicken, add a drop into that water.
- Bring it together to form a ball, if you can roll it into a ball then the consistency is correct. Turn off the flame.
STEP 4: Adding Fried Gavvalu to Jagggery Syrup
- Now very carefully add the fried ‘gavvalu’ to the jaggery syrup.
- In quick motion using a large wooden spoon or ladle stir in to get gavvalu fully coated with jaggery syrup.
- You need to be very careful while doing this. As the jaggery syrup is hot and it will start to thicken and dry soon.
- Leave till they reach room temperature.
- Upon completely cooling, store these in a sterilized air tight container and store.
- Add love to make this recipe taste 'Yummy'.
Notes
Lubna's Serving Suggestions:
As I said, these are best munching snack. You can even serve this along with evening tea or coffee.
You can pack these in office or school snack box.
These will be perfect for the holiday time. When the kids are at home they want to nibble something or other all the time. Make a box of these and stay tension free for few days.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
10Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 240Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 360mgCarbohydrates: 49gFiber: 1gSugar: 29gProtein: 3g
beena stephen says
Good post . Delicious snack
essaark says
Great photography.
Nicely written and explained.