Vada sambhar

For Sambhar

Pearl onions/sambhar vengayam - 20 nos

Thoor dal - 2 cups

Tamarind pulp - 2 tbsp

turmeric

asafoetida

Seasoning

Mustard - 1tsp

jeera - 1 tsp

red chilly - 1

curry leaves

List 1

Coriander seed - 1 tbsp

red chillies - 5

channa dal - 1 tsp

fenugreek - 1 tsp

Jeera - 1 tsp

raw rice - 1/2 tsp

coconut - 2 tbsp

• Pressure cook thoor dal adding enough water and turmeric.
  
• Add a tsp of oil and fry the all ingredients, except the coconut in the list 1.
  
• Then, when it cools down grind it along with the coconut and set it aside.
  
• Deskin the pearl onions.
  
• Add 2 tsps of oil. Add mustard and when it pops up, add jeera, chilly and curry leaves.
  
• Now add the onions and saute it well. 
  
• When it is done add the tamarind pulp and let it boil.
  
• Now add turmeric, asafoetida and the grounded mixture and let it boil.
  
• Add the cooked dal and let it boil well. Since we are going to have it for vada, it can be watery.
  
• Garnish it with fresh coriander leaves.
  

For vada

Urad dal – 1 cup

Green chillies – 2

Ginger - small piece

Curry leaves

Salt

• Soak urad dal for about 4 hours.
  
• Grind it by adding very little water.
  
• Take it out and mix it with chopped green chillies, grated ginger, curry leaves and salt.
  
• Heat the kadai, when it is hot, add oil and then let it heat. Doing this way, the food absorbs less oil.
  
• Take a plastic sheet or banana leaf, wipe it with little water.
  
• Take a small portion of dough on the sheet. 
  
• Wet your fingers and slightly flatten the dough and put a hole in the middle. This ensures that the dough gets cooked completely in the center as well.
  
• Gently transfer the dough to the oil and deep fry till its golden brown.
  

Take of the excess oil using paper towel and transfer it to sambhar and let it soak for few mins. Garnish it with raw onions and coriander. Yummy and filling snack right?

The crisp and mild mannered vada, when married with the spicy sambhar gives birth to a culinary sensation that just explodes in your mouth! :-) ha ha..

I send this to Ashwini's Lentils mela event. 

I also send this to Garnishing Event by Food fanatic