Paruppu Vadai

பருப்பு வடை (Paruppu Vadai / Masala Vada)

Paruppu vadai is a traditional South Indian recipe. This is also called Masal vadai, Aama vadai. In our family, we prepare this on special days, especially during Diwali. Along with this vadai, my mom prepare rava paniyaram too. Most of the tea shops in southern part of India sell this vadai. This vadai will be very crispy and it need a little tricks to get the results.

Ingredients for Paruppu Vadai

Soaking Ingredients:

Channa dal (Kadala paruppu) – 1 cup
Dry red chilli – 4-6
Fennel seeds – 1/2 tsp

Vada Batter:

Onion – 1 medium size
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Hing – 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves – 1 Spring
Salt as needed

Directions

Soaking:

Rinse the dal with water.
Place the soaking ingredients in a mixing bowl.
Add water and soak for 4 hrs.
Transfer the soaked dal in to a strainer.
Drain the water completely.
Add curry leaves to the soaked ingredients.

Grinding:

Grind the soaked ingredients in a food processor or blender coarse (don’t add water).
Transfer that to a mixing bowl.
Take little bit of ground dal and grind again with little bit of water.
Chop onions.
Transfer that to the bowl and add other ingredients and mix well.

Shape the Vadai:

Make the batter into round shape balls and place that in a plate.
Heat oil in a frying pan in medium flame.
Take one ball in palm and press little bit with your fingers.

Fry the Vadai:

When oil is ready for frying add the shaped batter into oil.
Fry the vada in low medium flame.
Flip the vada when one side cooked.
Take out the vada in a paper towel when bubbles stopped.
Fry the remaining vada in the same way.
Paruppu vadai ready.
Serve vadai for tomato rice as a side.

Notes

Must soak the dal at least 4 hrs.
Don’t skip the draining process otherwise you don’t get the texture.
If you can’t make the batter into balls drizzle some water.
If your batter went watery add some corn flour to rectify the mistake.
Don’t keep the flame high when frying otherwise the dal burns outside and inside will not be cooked properly.