Puffed vada is a tasty snack that is ideal for monsoon evenings. I learnt this recipe from my mother-in-law who excelled at cooking.
What you need
Raw rice: 200 gm
Split pigeon pea (Toor dal): 2 tbsp
Shredded coconut: 1 cup
Curry leaves: a few
Green chillies: 2
Red chillies: 1
Salt: to taste
Oil: for frying
Cooking instructions
Soak rice and toor dal for 30 minutes. Grind coarsely into a thick paste after draining the water along with curry leaves, green and red chillies and salt. Add the coconut and grind, ensuring that the batter remains coarse and thick. Make lemon-sized balls of the batter, flatten well on a piece of banana leaf and deep fry. The vadas will puff up like mini puries. Serve hot with tea or coffee.
Saraswathy Ramakrishnan is a school teacher who loves to cook.