Then there's the more exciting paruppu vadai, that is made using split Bengal Gram dal - chana dal. When made for festivals and prasadam (offering in pujas etc.) it is made without the onion-garlic mix and other herbs, using just the soaked dal, asafoetida, chillies and salt. This one has huge scope for tasty improvisations, and it is reasonably easier to get right as compared to the medu vada. There are numerous variations, and keerai vadai with its plentiful greens is one of my favourites. There's also a Chettinad specialty called 'Vazhapoo vadai' which used the banana flower as an addition. The use of fennel seeds in this recipe gives it a lovely fragrance is a Chettinad touch. When one bites into this, the fennel is what makes your guests ask you, "what's this unusual flavour I'm getting?".
This recipe is from my househelp Krishnaveni, who is an excellent cook. Her layered parathas are divine, and I can't seem to like tea made by anyone else. While she doesn't do the general cooking on a daily basis, she is always happy to pitch in when I am cooking for a crowd.
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| Tambrahm Menu Thali |
When it was my turn to host the bi-monthly Bloggers' lunch for #thekitchendivas, I drew out a Tambrahm menu, taking care to include items which my fellow bloggers might not have had before. This Keerai (Spinach) vadai was one of them. Krishnaveni took responsibility for this, while I went about the rest of the cooking. They turned out absolutely delicious. The aromas of coriander, mint, curry leaves, fennel seeds meant they needed no accompanying chutney. She says that you can even add dill leaves as a replacement to one of the herbs listed here for an even more unusual flavour. And don't be shocked at the largish quantity of garlic, frying mellows their flavour considerably and it's not a strong garlicky taste at all.
Keerai Masala Vadai | Recipe for Spinach-Masala Vada
Makes around 35-40 small vadais
Equipment needed
Mixer to grind
Kadai to deep fry
Ingredients
250 gram chana dal
1/8 tsp asafoetida
1.5 tsp grated ginger
8 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed to a paste
1 large onion, finely chopped
2-3 green chillies, finely chopped
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 cup packed spinach leaves (washed, dried)- finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped coriander leaves
1/4 cup finely chopped mint
1 sprig curry leaves, finely chopped
1.5 tsp salt
1 pinch of baking soda
roughly 300 ml cooking oil, for deep frying (depends on size of your kadai)
Preparation
Wash and soak the chana dal in lots of water for 5-6 hours.
Drain well and grind to a coarse paste, without adding any extra water.
Add all the remaining ingredients to the paste, mix well.
Keep the oil to heat in a deep heavy bottomed pan / kadai.
Once the oil is hot, you can test by dropping in a small round of dal mix into the oil. It should immediately sizzle, go to the bottom of the kadai, and come straight up to the surface.
On a greased palm or a cling film, pat vadais of around 1.5" diameter and 1/2 inch thickness. As you form each vadai shape drop it along the sides into hot oil.
Allow this to fry on medium heat, for around 4 minutes or so on one side. Once the bottom side turns golden and crisp, you can flip it around and similar fry this side for 3 minutes or so.
Drain on a colander covered with a few layers of kitchen paper / tissues to absorb the excess oil.
Prepare ahead tip:
You can grind the chana dal and keep it refrigerated overnight. Add the rest of the ingredients just before shaping the vadas and frying, or the onions and greens will release water and make the vada mix soggy
Deep frying tip:
Deep fry on medium heat, so that the insides cook as the outside turns golden and crisp.
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