Vadas dunked in sambar are called sambar vadai. Vadas are crispy deep fried South Indian snacks which look like mini doughnuts. These vadas are soaked in mild and flavorful spicy tangy lentil curry. The vadas absorb the sambar and become soft and delicious.
Vadas are made from urad dal( black gram). It is a traditional snack prepared in South India, which is eaten as breakfast with idli and sambar. Chopped onions, green chilies, curry leaves, crushed pepper corns and cumin seeds are added into the coarsely ground bengal gram batter and deep fried into golden brown.
Urad dal is best source of protein,iron, folic acid, calcium,potassium, Vitamin B. It contains lesser amount of fat and is good for hair growth.
INGREDIENTS
- Urad dal/ Bengal gram 1 cup
- Pepper corns 1/2 tsp
- Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
- Onion finely chopped 1/2
- Curry leaves 6-7
- Green chilies 1-2
- Refined oil for deep frying
- Salt to taste
METHOD
Wash and Soak urad dal for 4- 5 hours. Drain all the water.
Blend the urad dal adding 1/4 cup water to a nice and smooth batter.
Add pepper and give one two pulse in the blender.
Take out the ground batter into a deep vessel. Beat and mix the batter in a circular motion. This will make the vadai soft and fluffy.
Add cumin seeds, finely chopped curry leaves, finely chopped onions and chillies. Add salt and mix well.
Heat oil in a deep frying pan/kadai.
Wet your palms with water and take a tbsp batter in your left palm, shape it round with your right palm.
Wet your right finger and make a hole in the centre of the batter. Flip to your right fingers and gently slide into hot oil on medium heat.
When the vada turns golden in colour flip and cook the other side till it turns golden in colour. Take it out and drain the excess oil in a kitchen towel. Repeat the same procedure with rest of vadas. You can fry in batches.
Recipe for sambar
Keep the vada in the serving plate and pour hot sambar on it and serve.
