FoodWithBai is a new foodie feature on tamilyouth.ca that explores and reveals the various aspects of cooking, in particular dishes loved by the Tamil community. Today, we have a recipe to make vadai!
Written by: Bairavi Sripalan
Vadai comes in many shapes and sizes, but is most commonly known for its doughnut shape. Filled with green chilies, onions and plenty of other spices, it is a snack for the champions and can be enjoyed whenever. Another form of vadai is the flat, round version but crunchier made with a different dhal.
Ingredients
– 1 cup of urud dhal/black gram
– ½ cup of diced onions
– 3-4 green chilies thinly sliced
– 1 inch of ginger grated finely
– ½ tsp. each of salt and pepper (Add more salt if needed*)
– 3-4 shakes of asafetida
Materials
– Pan or Deep Fryer
– Measuring cups/spoon
– Grater
– 2 medium sized bowls
Preparation
– Peel and grate ginger
– Dice and slice the onions and green chilies
– Wash and soak the urud dhal/black gram in warm-hot water for 15-20 minutes
– Get a small container filled with cool water
– Line a plate with paper towels or napkins
– Preheat deep fryer or get a pan to deep fry the Vadai by heating on medium-high heat
Directions
1.Remove about 75% – 80% of the water from the soaked urud dhal/black gram. Blend the urud dhal/black gram with a hand blender, food processor or blender until there are no visible lumps remaining.
2. Add the grated ginger, onions and green chilies to the urud dhal, and make sure to fold the ingredients in until they are mixed well throughout the batter.
3. Grab about 1 – 1 ½ tbsp. of the batter into the palm of your hand, wet your finger tips with the water in the container and form a donut like shape with the batter.
4. Fry until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes per side and place on the plate lined with napkins. Allow them to cool for a few minutes and then enjoy!
Enjoy by itself, with chutney, sambol and/or bananas!
Tweet us @CanTamilYouth with pictures of your vadai with the hashtag #FoodWithBai!
Have a request for a specific recipe? Let us know at blogs@ctya.org!
Author
Bairavi Sripalan is a Toronto girl with a strong passion for cooking and all things food related. She grew up being inspired by the Food Network and her mom as she cooked daily in the kitchen. She has admired how balanced flavours and ingredients create beautiful dishes. She believes that with cooking, there is always something new to be learned, tried, and experienced. You can follow Bairavi for more updates @foodwithbai!
Tags: Food, foodwithbai, recipe, Tamil Cooking, vadai
