Parippu Vada aka Masala Vada

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  Vada and Indian Railways are synonymous in my mind. You must be thinking WHAT? Well, the first thing that comes to mind when I think of travelling by train is all the food vendors, acres of pastures, the deafening noise when crossing a bridge, water bodies going on for ever, rural life, children half naked waving cheerfully at you and true the list goes on.  However, I am sure you will agree all the vendors screaming names of food which you can never follow, unless you are looking out the window and observing what he is carrying, flashes through our minds when we talk about trains in India.  You will also agree that the dabba walas have made their niche for themselves by producing 6 sigma work.  Today I present to you, vadas made quite popular by the Indian Railway vendors and I dedicate this lovingly to all of them.  Anyways, here is an unadulterated homemade version for you to enjoy and try saying vada vada vadaiiiiiiiiii before serving, taking the third vadaiiiii on a high pitch and dramatically ending the way you have heard on your favorite journeys by Indian Railways.  Have a fun day guys! Kuchu kuchu kuchu!

Ingredients:

1. Tuar Dal - 1/2 cup

2. Chana Dal - 1/2 cup

3. Asafoetida - a little less than 1/4th tspn

4. Onions - chopped 1/2 cup (in case you dont like a lot of onions take off about 1 tbspn)

5. green chilies - 6 small ones

6. ginger - 1 tbspn

7. Curry Leaves - 1 sprig

Method:

1. Soak the dal together for two hours

2. Strain the water and grind the dal to a coarse mixture (add a little 1/4 or 1/2 of the ginger, onions and green chilies when grinding to enhance the flavor)

3. Once the dal is ground add the rest of the ingredients from 3-7

4. Heat oil in a deep frying pan and when the oil is hot (when a drop of the vada mix rises to the top instantly you know the oil is hot enough) make small disk shaped vadas and slide it into the oil

5. Remove them from oil into a bowl or basket lined with tissue paper

This yields about 15 crispy vadas

Note: I have tried making this with only Chana dal and I like that too.  So if you only have either of the dals mentioned go ahead and use 1 cup of any of the dals.

Contributor: Sunitha