Sri Lankan Pani Walalu (Honey Rings)

Personal Note

“I never tasted this sweet until I met my mother-in-law. It’s tricky to make, but when done right—it’s the best sweet ever. If you’re trying it for the first time… good luck!” —Sanjeewa Karunaratne

👨‍💼 Submitted by Sanjeewa Karunaratne
📋 Associate Director, Institutional Research
📍 Home Country: Sri Lanka
🍽 Serves: 5
🕒 Prep Time: 1–2 hours
🔥 Cook Time: 30 minutes
🌱 Dietary Info: Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, and Dairy-Free

Ingredients

• 2 cups Urad Dal (Undu), washed and de-skinned
• 1 cup rice flour
• 2.5 cups coconut milk
• 1 tsp salt
• 3–4 cups Kithul treacle (Sri Lankan palm syrup)
• 1 cup water

Instructions

• Cut a ¼-inch diameter hole in a clean muslin cloth and sew around the edge to reinforce it.
• Soak Urad Dal overnight and drain. Blend into a thick paste.
• Mix paste with rice flour and 1 cup thick coconut milk. Adjust with more water or flour until batter resembles mashed potato in consistency. Add a pinch of salt.
• Heat oil in a large pan on medium. Squeeze batter through the muslin hole in circular motions into hot oil, creating spiral coils. Fry until golden brown.
• In a separate pan, gently heat treacle until small bubbles rise. Do not overboil.
• Drain oil from the fried coils and dip them in the warm treacle. Let soak a few minutes so syrup absorbs (this step requires practice!).
• Store in a container filled with treacle for up to a week.

Cultural Context

Pani Walalu is a rare and traditional Sri Lankan delicacy, typically made for New Year festivals in mid-April. Its base, Kithul treacle, is an ancient and cherished palm syrup, now endangered by deforestation.

Fun Fact

The Kitul tree, from which treacle is harvested, is sacred and declining. This sweet is not just dessert—it’s a cultural treasure under threat.