Vada and Sambar recipe

Very recently we visited Tirupati temple in Andhra Pradesh. On the way to the temple and back, we had evening tea from Woody’s restaurant at Kolar, just 2 hrs drive from Bangalore. We ordered for Sambar Vada. It is actually vada (made of Uradu dhal) which is dipped in sambar. It is one of the favourites of my family but not mine because the sambar has the jeera (cumin seeds) which i don’t like much. Since my daughter was asking me to make it, today i made it for the evening tea.

Sambar

Ingredients:

• Thoor dhal  – 2 tbsp
• Onion – 1 big, thinly sliced
• Tomato – 1 big, cubed
• Green chilly – 2, slit (optional)
• tamarind pulp – 3 tbsp
• Asafoetida – 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
• Coriander powder – 2 tsp
• Kashmiri chilly powder – 2 tsp
• Oil – 2 tsp
• Fenugreek seeds – 1/4 tsp
• Cumin seeds – 1/4 tsp
• Curry leaves
• Coriander leaves – 1 tbsp, finely chopped
• Salt to taste

Method of Preparation:

• Soak thoor dhal in hot water for 30 mins and pressure with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder ( 3 whistles will be sufficient)
• Heat oil in a pan, fry fenugreek seeds until it turns brown in colour, add cumin seeds and curry leaves
• Add onion and fry with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder
• Add coriander powder and chilly powder, fry for some time and add tamarind pulp
• Let it boil, add tomato, cover and cook for 2-3 mins
• Mix well with the cooked dhal in the pressure cooker and again pressure cook for 2-3 whistles
• Add enough water and coriander leaves, bring it to boil
• Switch off stove and add asafoetida powder, mix well without any lumps, cover and keep it aside

Vada

Ingredients:

• Uradu dhal – 1/2 cup
• Ginger – 1 tsp, crushed and finely chopped
• Green chilly – 2, crushed and chopped
• Onion – 1/2, medium size, finely chopped
• Curry leaves – 2 tsp, finely chopped
• Salt to taste
• Oil to fry

Method of preparation:

• Wash and soak Uradu dhal in enough water for 30 mins
• Grind to a coarse paste with salt, sprinkle water if necessary (it absorbs lot of oil if it is water)
• Heat oil in a wok, mix the remaining ingredients with the batter
• Wet the left palm, take a small ball of batter and keep on your left palm and make hole in the middle of the batter and drop to the oil
• Fry vada in medium heat, other wise only the out side will be crispy but inside it wont be cooked well
• You can fry 3-4 vada at a time until the batter is over
• Once it is done, keep it in kitchen towel to absorb the extra oil

Method of Serving

In a bowl, take sambar 3/4 the measurement and dip 1-2 vada and serve it with 2 small spoons.  The sambar should be watery otherwise vada won’t get soaked in it. You will definitely love it.

Give a try.