Vada curry

Vada curry is a very special restaurant recipe. It makes a perfect pair with set dosa for breakfast or dinner. 

We make it during festival days which makes it more special.

Ingredients:

Cooking time: 1 hour

Servings: 6

For curry:

1. Oil - 8 tbsp

2. Cinnamon sticks - 1/2 inch

3. Bay leaf - 1 

4. Cloves - 2

5. Fennel seeds - 1/4 tsp

6. Curry leaves - few

7. Onion (chopped) - 2 large 

8. Tomatoes (chopped) - 2

9. Garlic (crushed) - 10 cloves

10. Chilli powder - 1/4 tsp

11. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

12. Kashmiri chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

13. Mint leaves (chopped)- 1/4 cup

14. Coriander leaves (chopped) - 1/4 cup

For making vadai :

15. Chana dal (soaked) - 1 cup

16. Ginger - 1 inch

17. Green chilly - 1

18. Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp

19. Salt - 1/2 tsp

For masala :

20. Vada mixture - 2 tbsp

21. Coconut (grated) - 4 tbsp

22. Cloves - 2

23. Cinnamon stick - 1/4 inch 

24. Green chilly - 1

25. Fennel seeds - 1/4 tsp 

Method of preparation:

1. In a mixer take chana dal, fennel seeds, green chilly, ginger and salt. Add water and grind coarsely.

2. Transfer it to a bowl leaving 2 tbsp of mixture in mixi itself.

3. Add coconut, green chilly, cinnamon stick, cloves and fennel seeds. Grind it a paste.

4. Fry the vada mixture as small balls. Do not fry until it becomes brown. 

5. In a kadai add oil, cinnamon stick, cloves, fennel seeds, green chilly, bay leaf, curry leaves. Sauté for a minute.

6. Add garlic and fry for two mins.

7. Add onion, tomato to it. Mix well.

8. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder and kashmiri chilli powder and mix well. Cook until the tomato becomes mushy. 

9. Add grinded coconut masala and about a cup of water. Cook until the raw smell of coconut goes off. 

10. Crush few vada using hands and add in the curry.

11. Add coriander leaves and mint leaves to it. 

12. Mix everything together and cook until the oil comes out of the curry.