Ingredients:

• 2 cups – Urad Dal (skinned)
• ½ tsp – Cumin seeds
• 8 black pepper Corns
• 8 to 10 green chilies (finely chopped)
• 1€ piece Ginger (finely chopped)
• oil for deep frying
• salt to taste

Method:

1. Soak the dal in water for 3-4 hours.
2. Drain out the water.
3. Grind the dal into a thick fine paste using very little water.
4. Add ginger, cumin seeds, pepper corns, green chilies and salt to taste and mix well.
5. Turn a small steel bowl upside down and put some water on it.
6. Place 2 heaped tbsp of the dal batter and flatten with your fingers.
7. Make a hole in the centre of the vada.
8. Pick up the vada carefully and slide it into the hot oil and deep fry till golden.
9. Serve hot with coconut chutney.

Recipe courtesy of Anitha Raheja