VADA CURRY RECIPE | SIDE DISH FOR IDLI, DOSA

       Vada curry – The name itself tempts us a lot right? But I have tried this only once before. The reason is fennel. My family does not like fennel, so kept postponing trying this. But When Raji told this recipe it sounded simple to try. I have not tasted vada curry before, so was very clueless about the taste and outcome. But the garlic, fennel in the curry with the vada along with the flaovur of coriander leaves and curry leaves is simply superb. You can make use of the left over masala vadai too. The next day it can make you a side dish for your breakfast.

Ingredients (serves 2)

Channa dal/ Kadala paruppu	1/2 cup
Onion	2
Garlic	6 flakes
Sambar powder	2 tsp
Turmeric	1/8 tsp
Green chilli	2
Curry leaves	1 sprig
Coriander leaves	1 tblsp
Salt	as needed

*Left over masala vadas can be used, use 6 vadais

To temper

Oil	1 tbsp
Cinnamon	1 small piece
Cloves	2
Fennel seeds	1/2 tsp
Bay leaf	1

Method

Soak dal for 3 hours, drain water and grind to a coarse paste as we do for masala vada. Neither too smooth nor too coarse. Just add 1 or 2 tblsp water while grinding if needed. Cube onion and peel garlic and cut into two, slit the green chillies and keep aside. Mix salt accordingly in this and mix well. Make bite sized pakodas/ vada out of it, no need to worry about the shape. Deep fry in oil until cooked.  Heat a pan with oil and season with the items given under ‘To temper’ table. Add fennel seeds lastly and wait until it splutters. Add cubed onion, garlic and fry till golden brown here and there.  Add 1 and 1/2 cups of water, turmeric, sambar powder, required salt and bring to boil.  Add the prepared vadas and simmer and boil for 5-8  minutes in medium flame.  Boil until the vadas gets soft and gets absorbed well in the gravy. Stir in such a way to mash it if needed to get a thick curry. Garnish with coriander leaves and curry leaves.

           
               Serve hot with Dosa the best. Idli also gets matched with this well. I can even eat as such .

Notes

Adding half the salt in the vada and half in the gravy is must. Otherwise the taste wont be homogenous. The key is to get the vadas soaked well in the gravy and get soft. The vasa should not be hard. Simmer and cook to get the soft texture. Left over vadas works great for this recipe. You can also steam the vadas instead of deep frying. The result wont be changed.