These delectable crisp, spicy lentil vadas make a great tea time snack/ breakfast anytime.

RECIPE :

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup split bengal gram dal/chana dal
• 1/4th cup split black gram dal (skinless)/ udad dal
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 1/2″ piece of ginger
• 4 to 5 green chillies (adjust to spice required)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/8 tsp turmeric powder
• A pinch of asafoetida
• 1 tbsp hot oil to be added to the coarse mix
• 5 sprigs of coriander leaves finely chopped
• 4 to 5 curry leaves roughly torn
• Salt to taste
• Oil for deep frying

METHOD :

Rinse the dals well and soak them separately in water together for about 2 1/2 hours.Drain the excess water. There should be no water left. Grind the black gram dal first adding about 2 tsp water to a coarse paste. Then keep 2 tbsp chana dal aside and add the rest of it to the ground udad dal and grind to a coarse paste without adding any water. Transfer this paste to a mixing bowl.
Grind cumin seeds,ginger, green chillies, to a smooth paste.Add this paste,whole chana dal,turmeric powder,asafoetida, salt, torn curry leaves,chopped coriander leaves and hot oil to the coarse mix. Mix well.
Heat oil in a kadai.Divide the mix into equal portions and shape each portion into a small round and flatten it on your palm. You can use a greased plastic sheet to do the same.
Heat oil in a kadai. Once hot, slide the vadas gently into hot oil and deep fry the vadas on medium flame, a few at a time by slipping them gently into the hot oil, till golden brown and crisp. Drain on absorbent paper. The vadas will be crisp on the outside and soft inside.
Serve hot with coconut chutney or chutney of your choice.

NOTE :

Use oil with high smoke point for deep frying. Eg: Refined groundnut oil.
Deep fry the vadas on medium flame only, if not the vadas won’t get cooked inside.
The coarse paste of lentils results in crisp vadas.
These vadas taste best when served hot.