Lentil Dumplings in a Spicy Tamarind-Lentil Broth

Name: Lentil Dumplings in a Spicy Tamarind-Lentil Broth (Rasa Vadai)
Yield: Makes about 30 Dumplings. (Serves 10)
Cuisine: India
Ingredients: 2 teaspoons coarse kosher or sea salt; ½ teaspoon ground asafetida; ½ teaspoon ground turmeric; 1 medium-size tomato, cored, cut into 1-inch cubes; 2 or 3 red Thai or cayenne chiles, to taste, stems removed; 1 teaspoon tamarind paste or concentrate; ½ teaspoon cumin seeds; 1 teaspoon coriander seeds; ½ teaspoon black peppercorns; ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds; 1 cup skinned split black lentils (cream-colored in this form, urad dal), picked over for stones; 1½ teaspoons coarse kosher or sea salt; ½ teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon canola oil; 1 tablespoon uncooked long-grain white rice; Canola oil for deep-frying; ¼ cup oily or unoily skinned split yellow pigeon peas (toovar dal), picked over for stones; 2 tablespoons yellow split peas (chana dal), picked over for stones; 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems; 1 teaspoon black or yellow mustard seeds; 15 to 20 medium-size to large fresh curry leaves

Rasa Vadai

Preparation info

Makes about 30 Dumplings. (Serves
10
)

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

660 Curries

By Raghavan Iyer

Published 2008

About

If you were to ask me to identify the one recipe that is closest to my heart, I would pick this one. Yes, it looks complicated, but I assure you, all you have to do is follow my instructions, and the result will bring you much comfort, as it does me, time and again.

Ingredients

For the dumplings

1 cup skinned split black lentils (cream-colored in this form, urad dal), picked over for stones
1½ teaspoons coarse kosher

Method

Place the lentils in a medium-size bowl. Fill the bowl halfway with water and rinse them by rubbing them between your fingertips. The water will become cloudy. Drain this water. Repeat three or four times, until the water remains relatively clear; drain. Now fill the bowl halfway with warm water and allow the lentils to soften by letting them sit at room temperature, covere