Thayir Vadai ( Vadai in Curd) / Vadai / Dahi Vada

There is not one person I know, who could resist the taste of these yummy thayir vadai. This is a traditional Indian receipe and is served on most important occasions and festivals. The taste of vadai's soaked in the lightly spiced yogurt is delicious. Here's my receipe :

Ingredients for Vadai

Urad Dal - 2 cups
Green Chillies - 6 to 7
Asfotedia - a pinch
Curry leaves - 1 twig
Salt - to taste

For the Curd(Thayir Part)

Beaten Yogurt - 1 cup
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Coriander leaves ( optional)


Method:

For Vadai:

* Soak the Urad Dal for 1 hour.
* Grind the Dal well for 20 minutes till the dough is smooth. Use very little water.
* Mix in chopped green chillies, curry leaves, asfotedia and salt to the dough.
* Shape into balls with a hole in the center over wax paper or aluminium foil.
* Drop into pre-heated oil.
* Add more vadais and let it fry both sides till golden brown.




If you are just making vadai, the process stops right here. But, a few more steps are

needed to make vadai into 'Thayir vadai'.

* Put the vadais from oil into a cup filled with hot water.
* Let it stay for 5 minutes.
* Turn the vadai gently over so that both sides soak well.
* Now, the vadai's are ready for the curd.

* Transfer the vadai's from hot water to the curd mixture.

Preparing the Curd mixture:

* Splatter mustard seeds, curry leaves and asfotedia in a little oil.
* Add turmeric powder to the oil and pour over beaten yogurt.
* Add salt as needed.
* After adding vadai's, garnish with coriander leaves(optional).

Rava Idli

Once Upon a time, I thought perfect Rava Idli's came only when I used MTR's Rava Idli Mix. But, that was before I discovered this great receipe. It makes good Rava Idli's every time. Unlike most people, I don't use cooking soda to this receipe. It tastes great and is great to have in hand, when you are hungry and don't have much time to cook. Here's how I do it...



1 cup Rava(sooji)
1 cup Curd
2 tsp Grated coconut

1 Tblsp chopped coriander leaves

salt, to taste

Fry :
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1/2 tsp Pepper and Cumin seeds(broken roughly)
1 tsp Urad Dal and Chana Dal
4 Green chillies(chopped)
1 inch Ginger(chopped)
1 tsp Curry leaves
1 tsp Cashewnut(chopped)

Method:

Grease a plate with little ghee and fry the sooji in a microwave for 3 minutes.
In a pan, add oil and fry the ingredients listed for frying and add it to a bowl with the fried sooji.
Add required amount of salt and curds.
Stir in grated coconut and coriander leaves and mix to a idli-batter consistency.
Pour batter into greased idli plates and cook for 15 minutes or till a tooth pick comes out clean.
Tasty rava idli is ready.
Serve hot with chutney and sambhar.