Urad Dal Vadai

Recommended Season :All seasons.
Ingrediants :
Black gram 2 cups Salt ¾ teaspoon Red chilly 1 Cumin seeds 1 teaspoon (optional) Finely chopped Cabbage Or grated ash gourd 1 ½ cups Oil for deep frying

Soak the dal overnight. In the morning, wash the dal well a couple of times, till you get clear water. Drain the water and grind the dal with red chilly, salt and cumin seeds, without adding water, to a smooth paste. Cumin seeds may be omitted if the taste is not preferred. To the dal paste, add the finely chopped cabbage or grated ash gourd and mix well.

Heat enough oil in a frying pan (not letting it smoke). Traditionally, a hand sized portion of a plantain leaf was greased, and this was used to make the batter into the required shape before frying it.

Alternatively, you can keep a bowl of water ready, dip your hand in it and take a small lump of the batter with your wet hand. Toss and roll this lump around on your wet fingers into a ball, slightly flatten it and make a hole in the centre of this ball with your thumb. Drop this into the oil. Drop enough balls of batter to cover the oil in the pan with room enough to flip them over. When both sides turn golden brown, remove them onto a plate. Serve hot with coconut chutney or sambar.

Channa Dal Vadai

Recommended Season :All seasons, in moderation during summer.
Ingrediants :
Bengal gram 2 cups Split green gram 1 tablespoon (optional) Red chillies 1 or 2 Salt ¾ teaspoon Cumin seeds 1 teaspoon Finely chopped cabbage 1 cup Grated carrot 1 cup Curry leaves 7 or 8 Chopped Coriander leaves ½ cup

Soak the dal overnight. Remove water and wash the dal well. Drain the water and grind the dal with red chilly, salt and cumin seeds, without adding water, to a smooth paste. Soak the split green gram in a cup of water for half an hour. Alternatively, you can retain a tablespoon of the soaked Bengal gram itself before grinding.

To the dal paste, add the soaked green gram or Bengal gram, finely chopped cabbage, grated carrot, curry leaves and chopped coriander leaves and mix well.

Heat enough oil in a frying pan (not letting it smoke). Keep a bowl of water ready, dip your hand in it and take a small lump of the batter with your wet hand. Toss and roll this lump around on your wet fingers into a ball and flatten it with your thumb. Drop this into the oil. Drop enough balls of batter to cover the oil in the pan with room enough to flip them over. When both sides turn golden brown, remove them onto a plate. Serve hot with coconut chutney.