Keerai vadai, a crispy savory South Indian snack, made with black gram dal, greens and chilies that’s served with coconut chutney
Ingredients
- Urad dal 1 1/2 cups, soak in water for 2 to 3 hours
- Onion 1, medium, finely chopped
- Spinach 1/3 cup, chopped and packed OR amaranth leaves/thotakura
- Fresh coriander leaves 1/3 cup, chopped and packed
- Fresh mint leaves 1/3, cup, chopped and packed
- Curry leaves 1/4, cup, chopped and packed
- Green chilies 4, finely chopped
- Ginger 1″ knob, finely minced
- Cumin 1/2 tsp (optional)
- Salt to taste
- Oil for deep frying
Method for making Keerai vadai
- Drain the water from the soaked urad dal and grind to a coarse paste adding very little water, approx 4-5 tbsps only. You should feel small bits of dal in the batter.
- Place the ground urad dal in a large bowl. Add the chopped onions, green chilies, ginger, spinach, coriander, mint and curry leaves. Add salt and beat the mixture with you hand for a minute.
- Heat oil for deep frying in a heavy bottomed vessel. Wet your hand in water, take a large ball of the urad dal mixture in your hand and place it on a moistened plastic sheet. Shape into a flat vadai and make a hole in the center.
- Carefully place the shaped vadai in the hot oil. Reduce flame to medium high and make one or two more vadai in the same manner and place in the hot oil. Cook on medium high heat on both sides. You can increase flame towards the end of the cooking process and cook the vadai till crisp and golden brown.
