Medium
24
Published 2018
Another great street-food snack, these delicious lentil patties, or vadai, also look great served up at home as a starter, or even piled on a platter for everyone to share.
For the vadai, soak the lentils in
Drain and place in a blender, then grind until the lentils form a thick paste, like a very thick fritter mixture that is quite wet, but pliable enough to form a shape.
Just before you stop grinding, add the chilli, ginger and asafoetida. If you need to add a bit of water, make sure it is iced water. Stir in the coriander and set aside.
In a bowl, combine all the coconut curd ingredients.
For tempering, heat the ghee in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the spices, chillies and curry leaves and cook for a minute or two, until the mustard seeds start to pop and the mixture is aromatic.
Stir the tempered spices through the yoghurt curd mixture and set aside.
To cook the lentil patties, pour about 10 cm (4 inches) of vegetable oil into a heavy-based saucepan. Heat over medium-high
Wet your hands, take some batter and shape it into a small doughnut, about 3 cm (1¼ inches) wide.
In batches, carefully add the patties to the oil, making sure not to overcrowd the pan.
Arrange on a serving platter, garnish with coriander and serve hot, with the spiced yoghurt.
© 2018 All rights reserved. Published by Murdoch Books.