Vada Curry | The Healthy way

Vada curry is a staple at home on festival days. When crispy dosas with hot sambar has always been my favorite, crispy hot dosas with vada curry has been A's love. Be it Pongal or Diwali or Vishu, we have always started the day with dosas and vada curry. That is how much A loves the combo. Traditionally the vadas are deep fired in oil and then dumped in a rich coconut based gravy. I go that way at times but when calories come into picture I move over to this healthy version.

My mom makes the best authentic vada curry and I still have her hand written notes among my many other cookery treasures. And I still follow her recipe whenever I make this curry be it frying the vadas or steaming the vadas. If you want to go the authentic way then follow the same recipe but instead of steaming, deep fry the vadas in hot oil. I however love this healthy version cos you can indulge in a whole plate with no worries about calories or fat...

~*What U Need*~ For the vada: Chana dhal - 1/2 cup Coriander leaves - a handful Small onions - 7-8 Salt Green chilli - 1 Curry leaves - 1 sprig Cumin seeds - 1 tsp For the curry Onion - 1, large, finely chopped Tomato - 1, medium Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tbsp Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp Coriander powder - 1 tsp Garam masala - 1/2 tsp Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp Salt, Oil To temper Cinnamon - 1" stick Cloves - 2 Cardamom - 2 To grind to a fine paste: Grated coconut - 1/4 cup Cashew nuts - 4-5 Fennel seeds - 1/4 tsp Water How I made it: Soak the chana dhal for 8 hours, drain the water and take this in a blender. Add the remaining ingredients and grind to a coarse mixture. Form balls out of the mixture and steam in a idli cooker for 10 mins. Remove and set aside to cool. Crumble to coarse pieces. Grind everything under to grind into a fine paste adding enough water. Heat oil in a pan and temper with cinnamon, cloves and crushed cardamom. Add onions and saute till soft and brown. Add ginger garlic paste and saute till the raw smell goes off. Add the tomatoes and fry till mushy. Now add the spice powders and fry well. Add the ground paste and water and bring it to a rolling boil. Add the crumbled vada and mix well. Allow to boil to the right consistency and then add the chopped coriander leaves. Remove from flame.

Serve warm with dosas or idlis.

So thats it Folks...
With Love,

Signs off!!!