Dal vada, also known as Parippu vada is the hugely popular tea time snack/street food from Kerela. This is my grandmother's recipe and this is as authentic as it gets! Try it with coconut chutney.
What you'll need..
- 1 Cup toor dal (Split pigeon peas)
- 1 Large onion, finely chopped
- 2 Green chillies, finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp cilantro leaves, chopped
- 1 Inch piece of ginger, finely chopped
- 8-10 Curry leaves
- 1/4 Tsp hing (Asafoetida)
- 1/2 - 1 Tbsp red chilli powder
- Salt to taste
- Oil for frying
How to..
- Wash and soak the dal in water for about 6-8 hours.
- Then drain the water and coarse grind the dal along with chilli powder. While grinding the dal, use as little water as possible. The batter for the vada should be dry and not watery.
- Place the coarsely ground dal in a bowl and add onion, green chilli, cilantro, ginger, curry leaves, hing and salt to it. Mix well.
- Heat oil for frying in a non stick pan. Once the oil is hot, form flat, round patties with the batter using your hands and then drop them carefully into the oil. Fry them in batches, few at a time and serve hot with coconut chutney.
Bean sprouts are great for you because they are a high source of vitamins and minerals. This bean sprout salad recipe hits the spot with taste and is very fulfilling.
What you'll need..
- 2 Cups moong bean sprouts
- 1/4 Cup cucumber, finely chopped
- 2 Green onions, thinly sliced
- 1/4 Cup tomato, finely chopped
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 green chilli, finely chopped
- 2-3 Tbsp cilantro leaves, finely chopped
- 1/4 Tsp cumin powder
- 1/2 Tsp chilli powder
- Salt to taste
- Pinch chaat masala
How to..
- In a large bowl, add bean sprouts, cucumber, green onions, tomato, green chilli, cilantro, salt, cumin powder, chilli powder and lemon juice. Mix well.
- Garnish with chaat masala and serve.
Who doesn't like this sweet, spicy and crunchy Indian snack. Its so good, its addictive! Can be made in minutes and is great to munch on with your evening tea!
What you'll need..
- 2 cups corn flakes (I used frosted flakes because they are already sweet. If you are using plain corn flakes, you need to add sugar to this recipe, 1-2 Tsp)
- 2 Tbsp roasted peanuts
- 2 Tbsp raisins
- 1 Tsp sesame seeds
- 1/2 Tsp coriander seeds
- 1/4 Tsp Hing (Asafoetida)
- 1/2 Tsp turmeric powder
- 1/2 Tsp chilli powder
- 6-8 Curry leaves
- 1-2 Dried red chillies
- 2 Tbsp oil
- Salt to taste
How to..
- Heat oil in a non stick pan. Add peanuts, raisins, sesame seeds, coriander seeds, dried red chilli and curry leaves and fry them on medium heat for 3-4 minutes.
- Then add hing, turmeric powder, chilli powder, salt and sugar. Mix well.
- Add corn flakes to this spice mixture and mix well. Remove from heat once mixed and allow it to cool before serving.
This is my everyday dal recipe with a little twist (kasoori methi). My go to recipe when I want just simple home food.
What you'll need..
- 1/2 cup toor dal (Split pigeon peas)
- 1 Large tomato, finely chopped
- 1 Green chilli, chopped
- 1/2 Tsp mustard seeds
- 1/2 Tsp cumin seeds
- 1/4 Tsp Hing (Asafoetida)
- 1/2 Tsp turmeric powder
- 1 Tsp chilli powder
- 1/4 cup tamarind juice
- 2-3 Tbsp cilantro leave, chopped
- 1 Tbsp kasoori methi, crushed (Dried fenugreek leaves)
- Salt to taste
- 2 Tbsp oil
How to..
- Boil the dal along with water in a pressure cooker till its well done.
- Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard and cumin seeds to it and wait for them to splutter.
- Add tomatoes, green chilli, hing, turmeric, chilli powder, kasoori methi and salt. Mix well and cook on medium heat till the tomatoes get soft and mushy.
- Once the tomatoes are cooked, add the boiled dal and tamarind juice to it. Mix well. If the dal is too thick, add water as needed.
- Bring this to a boil and then simmer on low heat for 6-8 minutes. Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve hot with rice.
I love methi, but since I can't get fresh methi where I live, I use the frozen one. It tastes just as great and is really easy to make.
P.S- Methi and garlic is a match made in heaven!
What you'll need..
- 2 Medium potatoes, cut into rounds
- 2 Tbsp methi, if using the frozen one. Use more if using fresh (Fenugreek)
- 3-4 Garlic pods
- 2 Green chillies
- 1 Medium tomato, finely chopped
- 1/2 Tsp turmeric powder
- 1 Tsp chilli powder
- 2-3 Tbsp oil
- Salt to taste
How to..
- Add oil to a frying pan and shallow fry the potatoes on medium heat. If you cover the potatoes with a lid for a few minutes it will help cook them faster.
- Once cooked, remove the potatoes from the pan and set aside.
- In the same pan, in the remaining oil, add a paste of garlic n chilli. Fry for about 15-20 seconds till the garlic gets fragrant.
- Now add the methi leaves. If using frozen ones, then defrost them in the microwave before adding them to the pan. Fry the methi in the pan on medium heat for 3-4 minutes.
- Add tomato, turmeric, chilli and salt. Mix well and continue to cook till the tomato gets mushy.
- Once the tomato is cooked, add the potatoes back into the pan and mix well. Serve hot with rotis.
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