1 cup urad dal
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon green chili or to taste
a few curry leaves
1 tablespoon black pepper
Enough water for preparation
Oil for deep frying
Wash and soak the urad dal for at least 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Drain the water and grind it with green chili, curry leaves and black pepper with a about 1/2 cup of water. If necessary add more water. Take care while adding water, if the batter becomes too watery the vada will not form. Check the video to see the consistency of the batter. As soon as the batter is ready the vadas should me made do not let it ferment.
Heat a pan with enough oil for deep frying. Let the oil come to medium heat.
Check to see if the oil is hot enough by dropping a little batter in the hot oil, if it comes up right away the oil is hot enough. The vadas should be fried on medium heat.
Since the batter is sticky. Dip you fingers in cold oil take a little batter, shape it and gently drop the batter in the hot oil carefully without touching the oil.
Dipping your hands in cold oil before picking up the batter greases it and the batter come of easily. Depending on the size of your pan you can fry 5 to 7 vadas at one time. Do not over crowd. When the edges turn brown turn the vadas and fry the other side. Fry until the vadas are golden brown and the oil sizzling has come down. Remove from frying pan onto a plate.
To make Yogurt Vada:
Dip the fried vada in a bowl of water allow it to soak well, squeeze and remove the water. Take a bowl with yogurt dilute it with water add some salt and chili powder to taste. Dip the soaked vadai in the yogurt, the vada will soak in the yogurt and become soft but will retain the shape.
Vadai and payasam are usually make to made to celebrate an occasion, whether a festival or birthday. Vada is served with chutney or sambar. Try some vadai dunked in sambar it is out of this world.
