Sun dried Treats 1 - Dried cooked rice crackers made with leftover rice - Annam Vadiyalu

Summer is the best time to make and stock up on any sundried treats like vadiyalu and perugu mirapakayalu.
Its a fun summer project to do with kids. As a kid, I am sure we all helped our parents make them, now its our kids turn to help us!! ;)
In India, I remember, it used to be one big family time to make them and put them up for drying on the terrace or the roof top. Then it used to be like, whose turn is it this time to turn them over or bring them down for the day! And mind you they are made in huge quantities, not only for ourselves but also for distributing to friends and families. In India, we get a variety of them to munch on. They are also good to crunch on at snack time or tea time.
Here, when we make them, its only in small numbers, and just enough to last the whole year.
The main thing required for this job is good strong sun or heat, rest its very easy to make. Though its a little time consuming the first day to make them all, later on its on keeping a eye on them so that they don't get rained out.
Vadiyalu dried crackers are of many types and are made of different ingredients like rice, sago or  different lentils. They all are either ground into a paste or used in their original form.
If made of rice, they are called biyyam vadiyalu or rice crackers.
If made of lentils, they are called pappu vadiyalu or lentil crackers.
If made of sago, they are called saggubiyyam vadiyalu so on and so forth.
These dried crackers can also be made of pumpkin, known and gummadi vadiyalu or dried pumpkin crackers and also of chillies called perugu mirapakayalu or dried yogurt chillies.

Let me first start with annam vadiyalu or dried cooked rice crackers. These are the easiest to make and don't require much hard work. I made them with leftover rice, but you can surely make them with fresh rice which is soft.
I recooked the leftover rice to a softer consistency using some water in a pressure cooker. Then added some color, which can be omitted, I did it just for fun for the kids!! Added some salt, pinch of baking soda and jeera. Spread them out in small quantities on the baking sheet lined with aluminium foil, but even plastic sheet can be used. Let them dry for 4-5 days in good sun, flipping them over daily. They should be totally dry in the end. If they are little bit wet also they will spoil in the long run. Totally dried ones can be stored in a air tight container upto an year.
When ever required, take a few out and fry them in oil. Since these are made of cooked rice, they will turn color very fast, so low heat and with quick turning, let them blow up into nice enjoyable, crunchy vadiyalu or crackers.
Vadiyalu are usually enjoyed with pappu annam or daal chawal or lentils and rice. They taste good with saambar or any liquidy daals too.

When first laid out...

After complete drying...

Ingredients for Annam Vadiyalu

1 cup Leftover rice cooked soft or fresh soft cooked rice
a small pinch of baking soda
color of your choice
Jeera or cumin seeds
salt to taste

Baking sheet lined with foil
all sun and no rain!!

Method:

Mix all ingredients and smash them together, till they are slightly sticky. Lay them little by little on the baking sheet in hot sun. Let them dry completely for 4-5 days, flipping them everyday.
Heat oil. Fry them, a few at a time, flipping fast so that they don't burn. Remove on a napkin and serve with rice and pappu.
Store in air tight container for upto an year. Enjoy!!!

This is going to Pari's 'Only' Kids event on Foodelicious.