Paruppu Vadai was one of my favourite fried items growing up….I don`t remember it being an integral portion of any festival menu except probably the Vishu or Varsha Purappu or the Tamil New Year`s Day so to speak.  We would have it, as a side for sambar, rasam as well as curd. Some times, when its surprisingly left over, for the evening, I love to have it as Rasa Vadai, dipped in a bowl of steaming hot tomato rasam. I was always a rasam lover so I would find novel ways and means of having rasam more than my fair share!!!

This time, as I prepared Pruppu Vadai, as part of the new year lunch, I had to third the quantities, as we had resolved to keep a firm watch on fried items!!!

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup of  Bengal Gram.

1/3 cup of Toor Dhal.

1 spoon of raw rice.

4 red chillies

Curry Leaves

1 spoon salt

Hing

Oil to Fry.

PREPARATION:

• Clean the toor dhal and the bengal gram along with the spoon of raw rice. The raw rice helps in binding the dhals together. Soak the dhals and the rice for about 2 1/2 – 3 hours along with the red chillies.
• In a mixer, grind the dhals, rice, salt, red chillies and curry leaves to a coarse mix without adding too much water.
• Add required hing and more chopped curry leaves and chopped cilantro. Set the oil on the kadai on medium heat.
• On non-festival days, you could add a dash of finely chopped onions and cilantro to the base mix before making the vadais.

• Use an empty ziploc cover and first dab a little oil with your fingers or simply use an oil spray on the surface.
• Now flatten a rounded ball of the batter on the oiled surface and flatten it gently with ur fingers/palm.

• Drop it gently in to the oil and allow to fry well on both sides. Since the main ingredient is raw lentils, its important that its fried well before serving.
• Allow to drain on a collander lined with kitchen tissue.
• Serve hot with Tomato Rasam or Vengaya Sambar.

Sending piping hot Vadais to WYF – Fried Snack Event at SimpleIndianFood.