This is a deep fried recipe which usually I prefer to avoid as much as possible. When I decide to deep fry then I make sure that the focus is over the ingredients being more healthy, in that way I don't feel guilty about eating it once in a while. I know we should not feel guilty about eating deep fried food once in a while but keeping it healthy gives a lot more satisfaction and happiness. Another reason I added greens to the recipe is because Mom always used to make dal vada with drumstick greens and we used to love it. Well we used to eat with a odd combination, with mutton curry....but believe me or not it tasted so good.
Ingredients:
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1 cup Urad Dal
1 cup Yellow Moong Dal
2 cups Collard Greens (I used frozen and thawed)
2-3 Green Chilies chopped
1/4 inch Ginger chopped
1 Sprig Curry Leaves
1 Onion chopped
Salt to taste
Method:
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1. Soak Urad and moong dal in water for about 2 - 3 hours.
2. Drain the water and save it for later.
3. In a kadai add oil for deep frying and bring it a medium-high heat.
4. Meanwhile in a mixer/blender add the dal, green chilies and ginger, give it 3-4 pulse until the dal is slightly coarse paste.
Note: We don't need to add water as the collard green are frozen and will have lot of water in it. If you are using fresh greens then you can add the water in which the dal was soaked.
5. Now add the greens and curry leaves and grind it to a coarse paste, I just pulsed few times, in between scraped the sides and got the desired consistency.
6. Transfer this dla mixture into a large bowl.
7. Meanwhile sprinkle salt over the onions and mix a little bit and keep it for about 20 mins.
8. Now squeeze the water from the onions.
Note: This will remove the excess water from onions, so that when we make the vada it stays crispy and does not get soggy.
9. Add the onions to the dal mixture and mix well and check for salt and add more if you need.
10. I reserve the water in which dal is soaked, for dipping/wetting my hands to make vada shapes.
Note: Make sure that the oil is ready by dropping a small drop of the thick vada batter. If it rises as soon as you put into the oil, it means the oil is ready, else if it stays at the bottom of the kadai and takes time to come up to the top, then you need to wait few more minutes.
11. Now add the vadas one by one slowly and make sure you don't over crowd the kadai. Cook each side for about 5 mins or until it turns golden brown.
12. Flip once to the other side and cook again for about 3-4 mins.
Note: Make sure you don't flip too many times as the vada will absord more oil and will not cook properly.
13. Remove the vadas to a plate lined with paper towel, so that it will remove the excess oil.
14. Repeat the steps 11-13 until all the batter is used.
15. I served these vadas with Coconut Chutney and Spicy Tomato Pachadi.
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