ANDHRA MASALA VADAI Crispy Fried Lentil Patties

These crisp, fried little patties are served with a chutney and are delicious as part of a thali, or can even be served as a snack with chai.

Great

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Soak the chana dal in water for 2 hours. In a pestle and mortar, crush the green chillies, curry leaves and ginger to a coarse paste. Set aside.

Step 2

Drain the dal and transfer to a blender. Blend to a coarse, thick texture; don’t worry if there are a few whole pieces of dal. Add 1 tablespoon of water while grinding only if needed. The mix should be fairly thick and coarse.

Step 3

Tip the ground dal into a mixing bowl and add the chilli paste, onion and asafoetida. Season to taste and mix well, then divide into 12 portions, to make your vadai.

Step 4

Heat enough oil for deep-frying in a wok or kadhai (about a third of the way up the pan), and line a large bowl or plate with paper towels. Test the oil is hot enough by dropping a small square of bread into the oil. If it sizzles and browns in 30 seconds, then the oil is ready.

Step 5

Once the oil is hot, add the vadai in batches a few at a time, and fry for 5–7 minutes until they are golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels while you cook the remaining batches, then serve warm, with any chutney of your choice