Medu Wada With Sambhar and Coconut Chutney

Medu Wada With Sambhar and Coconut Chutney

Ingredients:

    1 1/2 cups Urad Daal without skin (black lentils)

    Salt to taste

    2" piece of ginger grated

    5-6 black peppercorns

    2 green chillies chopped very fine

    10 curry leaves

    Salt to taste

    Vegetable oil for deep frying

Method

    Put the Urad Daal in a sieve and wash under running water until the water runs clear.

    Then soak the Daal overnight in a bowl of water - fill water until it is one finger digit above the surface of the Daal.

    In the morning, drain any extra water and add the green chillies, ginger, black peppercorns and curry leaves to the Daal. Now grind it into a paste in a food processor adding just a tiny bit of water while grinding so that you end up with a very thick, smooth paste.

    Add salt to taste and stir to mix well.

    Heat oil for deep frying on a medium flame. While the oil is heating, grease your palms with oil and put 1 tbsp of the lentil paste you ground earlier, into your palm. Poke a hole in the center and make into a donut shape (these are the vadas).

    Slide each vada into the hot oil and fry till light golden. Do not crowd the Vadas while the fry as they will stick if you do.

    When the Vadas start to turn a pale golden color, remove the Vadas from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

   

  

Sambhar

Ingredients:

    2 cups Toor or Tuvar (split yellow pigeon peas)

    4 tbsps Sambar Masala

    1 cup chopped eggplant (cut into 2"cubes)

    1 cup chopped potato (cut into 1"cubes)

    10 pearl onions, peeled and cored

    10-12 baby okra

    1/2 cup pumpkin

    10-12, 3"long pieces of drumstick (optional)

    Golf ball-sized lump of tamarind

    3 tbsps ghee (clarified butter)

    1 tsp mustard seeds

    8-10 curry leaves

    3 dry red chillies

    Salt to taste

    Chopped fresh coriander leaves

Method

       Boil the lentils and Sambar Masala with enough water till they are soft. The consistency should be 

       that of a thick soup.

       Soak the tamarind in a small bowl of hot water for 10 minutes. Squeeze well to remove all juice.

       Add this purée to the lentils. Mix well. Add salt to taste.

       Simmer and add the potatoes to the lentils. Cook till the potatoes are half cooked. Now add     

       the other vegetables and cook till done.

       Heat the ghee in a small pan and add the dry red chillies, mustard seeds and curry leaves. 

       Fry till the  spluttering stops and add to the boiled lentils. Mix well.

 

Coconut Chutney

Ingredients:

    1/2 coconut grated

    1 tsp mustard seeds

    1 tbsp urad daal (yellow lentil)

    2 dry red chillies

    5-6 curry leaves

    Salt to taste

    2 tbsps oil

Method

    Grind the coconut into a fine paste in the food processor.

    In a small pan, heat the oil and when hot add the mustard seeds, curry leaves, dry red 

    chillies and urad dal. Fry till the red chillies turn dark in color.

    Remove from the fire and add to the coconut paste. Add salt to taste and serve.