Anjaneyar vadai / Milagu vadai / Temple style crisp pepper vadai

Milagu vadai or pepper vadai are well known as Anjaneyar vadai.Because,these vadais are made as offerings to lord Anjaneya.These vadais are connected using a thread and garlanded to the Lord.The speciality about these vadais are ,they are fat free.Since ,we are not adding water to the mix while grinding,it will not absorb much oil.These also resembles the thattai.We used to munch these vadais,when we go to Nanganallur Anjaneyar temple.My SIL gave me the complete recipe and also a secret.If we are frying the vadai as normal vadais,then the crispness may not last longer.So inorder to retain the crispness,we are going to partial fry the vadais.Then we are going to deep fry them for the second time as batches.This wil make the vadais crisp.

Recipe Source: Viji Anni

Ingredients:
1.Urad dal                  -         1 cup   (160 gm)
2.Pepper                     -         1/2 tsp
3.Hing                         -         a pinch
4.Salt                           -        1/4 tsp

Method:
* Wash and soak the urad dal for an hour.
* Drain it and grind it in the mixie without adding water.
* The grinded mixture should be coarse not a paste.
* Mean while pulse the pepper and break it roughly.
* Take a bowl,mix the grinded urad dal,hing,salt and  broken pepper.
* Mix them well.
* Heat oil in a pan or kadai.
* Take a tbsp of hot oil and pour it on the vadai mix.
* This will make the vadai even more crisp.

* Take a ziploc cover,grease with oil.Grease ur hands also with oil to tap the vadai thinly.
* Take small lemon sized balls and pat it on the cover into a extremely thin vadai.
* Mark a hole in the centre.(This will cook the vadai faster.)
* Cook the vadai in oil on both sides.
* Remove the vadai,when it is light brown colour.(The trick here is, we are going to fry the vadai again in batches.This makes the vadai crisp always.Even after days.)
* Once all the vadais are cooked till light brown,place them on paper towels.
* Take the slightly browned vadais in batches and cook them again till it turns golden brown as shown in the 5 th picture.
* Store in clean ,air tight containers.The vadais will be crispy for longer,since we had double fried them.

Note:
* Ensure that,the vadais are patted thinly.If not they will become hard .
* At any point of time ,dont add water to the mix, while grinding.
* Making holes in the vadai will make the vadai to cook faster and crisper.
* Adding hot oil to the vadai mix will make them crisper and crunchier.
* When frying the vadai for the second time,keep an watch on the vadai,as there are chances to get black.
* We can also add  a tsp broken urad dal to the mix to get crunchier vadais.

Sending this to Aipi and Priya's Bookmarked Recipes

Vada Curry

Vada curry is a very famous side dish for idlis,dosais ,pooris in south India,especially in Tamil nadu.Its a curry in which chunks of vadais are added.It tastes yummy and tangy.I love to make it for idlis.Had some left over vadai batter in the freezer.Thought of using it in vada curry.Prepared today's dinner ,vada curry and idlis.My husband ,even tried with parottas.He loved it a lot.

Ingredients:

For Vadai:
1.Chana dal      -      1/2 cup
2.Fennel seeds -       1 tsp
3.Green chilly  -       1
4.Cilantro         -       1 spring

For Curry:
1.Onion           -           1
2.Tomato        -            1
3.Green chilly -            1
4.G&G paste   -            1 tsp
5.Chili pwdr   -             1 tsp
6.Turmeric pwdr-          1/4 tsp
7.Coconut        -             2 pieces
8.Cilantro        -             few springs
9.Mint leaves  -             1/2 cup

Method:
For vadai:
* Soak chana dal for 1 hr and grind it coarsely ,with fennel seeds and green chilly.
* Pat them like vadai and shallow fry them .
* The sides shud be golden brown.
* It shud not be completely brown,bcoz then it wud be tough to crush them for curry.

For Curry:
* Chop onion,tomato and slit green chillies.
* Take a pan,add oil and splutter with whole garam masalas.
* Saute onion with green chillies and sprinkle some salt.
* when onion turns translucent,add tomato and cook it covered.
* Add G&G paste and cook it till it looses the raw smell.
* Now add turmeric pwdr,chilli pwdr and mix it well.
* when it looses it raw smell,add 1 cup of water and bring it to a boil.
* Now take the vadais or patties,slightly crush them into chunks and drop them into the curry.
* Now grind coconut into a fine paste,add it to the curry and bring it to boil.
* Garnish with cilantro,mint leaves and serve with hot idlies.

Note:
Instead of frying ,we can also steam the patties in idli cooker .

Masala Vadai ( Chana dal patties)

Masala Vadai is a south indian snack,where chanadal is grinded with all other spices and fried as patties.
Its crispyness makes us crazy  .My mom does it very well,We will finish it off ,right from the pan.
Wat a rainy day is ,without  a cup of coffee and hot masala vadai? Remembering those days spent on chennai with my family....hmm adhu oru azhagiya mazhaikkalam.

Crispy masala vadai!!!

Ingredients:
1.Chana dal                       -          2 cups
2.Onion                             -           1
3.Green chillies                -            7
4.Garlic                            -             4
5.Fennel seeds                -             1 tbsp
6.Curry leaves                -             1 spring
7.Mint                             -              few springs
8.Cilantro                        -              few springs

Method:
* Wash and soak chana dal for 1 hr.
* Add 4 green chillies,1/2 tbsp of fennel seeds ,salt and grind them in two batches.
* The first batch can be grinded finely.
* The second batch has to be grinded coarsely.
* Chop onion,remaining 3 green chillies.
* Crush garlic pods and mince curry leaves,cilantro & mint leaves.
* Take a mixing bowl, add grinded chana dal ,remaining fennel seeds and add all other ingredients.
* Mix them well .
* Adjust salt to taste.
* Divide them into equal sized balls and pat them.
* Fry each patties well in hot oil.

Serve hot with chutney or sauce.

Secrets of crispy Ulundhu vadai ( Urad dal vada)

Ulundhu vadai is my husband's all time favourite.But when we prepare it ,it wont have its crispness till we serve for guests.I was wondering ,how we get crispy vadas in hotels.I got the answer to this question, when i went for my friend manju's function.Her mom ,gave me this secret of crispy vadai.

Diwali gave me the oppurtunity to prepare vadai.I tried, believe me even my son started asking for vadai more and more.I am thankful for manju's mom,who gave me this secret.




Ulundhu Vadai

Ingredients:
1.Urad dal                             -        1 cup
2.Rice                                    -        1 tbsp
3.Rava                                   -         1 tsp
4.Green chillies                     -         4
5.Ginger                                 -         1/2 inch
6.Onion                                  -         1/2
7.Curry leaves
8.Cilantro

Method:
* Wash and soak urad dal for 1 hour.
* Chop onion,2 green chillies ,curry leaves and cilantro.
* Grind urad dal,rice,ginger and remaining 2 green chillies into a fine batter.
* Try to add little water while grinding.
* Transfer the batter into a bowl and mix it well ,until it gives out bubbles.
* This mixing makes the batter fluffy.
* Add the chopped onion,green chillies,curry leaves and cilantro into the batter.
* At this point, add rava to the batter.This rava makes the vadai retain its crispness.
* Heat oil in a pan.
* Wet ur hand and place a ball of  batter and pat it .
* Slowly drop it in oil.
* Fry the vadai in hot oil.
* Take the vadai out and wipe it off with tissue.
* serve with chutney or sambar.

Believe me this vadai will retain its crispness for atleast 2 to 3 hrs.