VADAI – PATCHANANGAL (SNACKS)

Vadai is a category of savoury fried snacks. It is known by different names in different languages – wada, vade, vadai, wadeh and bara, refer to the same snack type.Different types of vadas are made from different ingredients, ranging from lentils to potatoes, chickpeas, rice flour, etc. They are often served as a breakfast item or a snack, and also used in other food preparations (such as dahi vada and vada pav). The most popular vadai is the ulundu vadai also called medu vada, which is made from dehusked blackgram dal. Rich in protein, the ulundu vadai is a favorite offering to the deity Kalabhairava, especially in the state of Tamil Nadu.

This snack finds mention in early Indian texts belonging to the Sangam period of Tamil Nadu and also in the Manasaollasa, a 12th century Sanskrit encyclopedia compiled by Someshwara II, who ruled over large parts of present day Karnataka. Many Indians, who were sent as indentured laborers to various Carribean islands, Mauritius, Fiji, etc. by the British, who now form an important part of the Indian diaspora there have made bara an important part of their
cuisine. Bara is made of split mung beans/green gram (moong dal).

Ingredients

Vadai (Vada) may be made from split dehusked or husked lentils/legumes, sago or potatoes. Commonly used legumes include pigeon pea, chickpea, black gram and green gram. Vegetables and other ingredients are added to improve taste and nutritive value.

Preparation

For legume-based vadas, the legumes (dal) are soaked with water, and then ground to a batter. Other ingredients, such as cumin seeds, onion, curry leaves (sometimes previously sauteed), salt, chillies or black peppercorns are added. Often ginger and baking soda are added to the seasoning in shops to increase the fluffy texture and improve fermentation. The mixture is then shaped and deep-fried, resulting in vadas with a crispy skin and fluffy centre.

Vadais are preferably eaten freshly fried, while still hot and crunchy. They are served with a variety of dips including sambar, wet or dry chutneys and dahi/mor (yogurt/curds) Medu/ulundu vadai are typically served along with a main course such as dosa, idli, or pongal with coconut chutney and sambar as accompaniments.

CURD VADAI

Ingredients:

Thick curds – 9 palam

Semolina/broken wheat – 6 palam

Salt – ¾ palam

Coriander leaves – ½ palam

Green chillies – 1 palam

Ginger – 1/8 palam

Sesame oil/til oil – 25 palam

Method:

● Take a thick white cloth, tie the four corners and put the curds in it. Leave it for a whole day. All the water will be removed. Put this in a coated vessel.

● Add to the semolina, powdered salt, cut coriander leaves, cut green chillies and grated ginger. Add the thick curds to it. Knead well in circular motion. Make lemon sized balls out of it.

● Heat sesame oil in an iron pan and when it stops spluttering, flatten the lemon sized balls in an oiled banana leaf, make a hole in the centre of the vada and drop it slowly into the oil. Drop 7 or 8 vadas into the oil and turn the vadas when one side is slightly red. Repeat this procedure for all the vadas. This can be fried in ghee or oil. Instead of semolina, wheat flour can be added. Since this item is made of curds, it should be consumed while it is hot.