Vada Curry

Vada Curry is a side dish for idlis and dosas. It is basically masala vadas dunked in a tasty gravy. This one is a highlight in my mother in laws kitchen and is my husband's all time favourite. My mother in law prepares this whenever we go home. I am yet to master this recipe so clicked it when my mother in law was making it.

It is quite a time consuming process but the taste is bliss!. I have a tough time remembering the ingredients, so this post is useful for my reference too ;-P.

Ingredients:

1. Channa dal - 1/2 cup
2. Big onion - 3 (finely chopped)
3. Curry leaves 1sprig
4. Green chilli (sliced)- 2
5. Turmeric powder - 1 pinch
6. Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
7. Salt as needed
8. Coriander leaves - to garnish

To grind separately:

I. For the vada

• Soaked channa dal
• Fennel seeds -1/2tsp
• Green chilli -1
• Garlic - 3 pods
• Ginger- 1 small piece, chopped
• Salt as needed

II. For gravy - part 1

• Tomato- 2 chopped
• Garlic  4 to 5 pods
• Ginger - 1 small piece chopped

III. For gravy part 2

• Coconut -1/4 cup
• Cashews - 2 to 3
• Poppy seeds -1/2tsp
• Small Onion - 10
• Kuzhambu masala powder (recipe coming soon ) - 1&1/2tbsp or you can use sambhar powder also.

To temper:

1. Bay leaf -1

2. Cinnamon - 1 small piece

3. Cardamom -1 

4. Fennel seeds - 1/4tsp

5. Oil - 2tbsp

Method:

1. Soak 1/2 cup of channa dal for 2 hours.

2. Grind the 'For Vada' ingredients. Drain all the water from chana dal before grinding and just whip in mixie to get a coarse texture. Sprinkle water ONLY IF NEEDED. Excess water at this stage will make the whole dish a disaster.

                                           

3. Heat oil in a kadai to cook the vadas. Just sprinkle the coarse mixture over the heated oil and deep fry till golden brown and drain in tissue paper. Set aside. You can also make small vadas and break them after deep frying.

                                           
4. Grind the 'For Gravy' ingredients to smooth paste. (part 1 and part 2 separately).

5. Heat oil (2tbsp) in kadai and temper with items under 'To temper' column.
                                         

6. Add the onions chopped finely and saute till transparent. Add the green chillies and curry leaves and saute.

7. Add in the tomato paste (to grind for gravy part 1) and saute till the raw smell leaves. Add salt, turmeric and chilli powder and mix well.

 

8. Add in the ground coconut paste (to grind for gravy part 2) and mix well and then add in the broken vadas.

9. Add 1 cup water (or more if required) and mix well. 

10. Let it come to boil and then simmer and wait till it reaches a thick gravy consistency. Switch off and garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve with idli/dosa!

Notes:

1. Adjust spice level according to your taste!.