Another popular tea time snack of South India, . The doughnut shaped Uzhunnu vada (ഉഴുന്നു വട- மேடு வடை) is perfect delight with coconut chutney. Also commonly served as an accompaniment with idli, for breakfast.  Its prepared with fine pasted urud dal (lentle) mixed with a few spices, fried in oil.  Shaping the Vada is a tricky part of the process, and may have some difficulty initially. I too had trouble initially to get the doughnut shape, but don’t worry, you will get there with couple of tries (as I did).

Ingredients

1. Lentle  OR Urud Dal (ഉഴുന്നു)           :  1 cup
2. Rice flour            : 1 Tbl sp
3. Green chillies chopped     : 3
4. Curry leaves.     : 2 strigs
5. Onion chopped : ¼
6. Salt to taste
7. Oil for frying

 Method

• Soak the Dal for 2 to 2 1/2 hours
• Grind the dal in a very smooth paste in a Mixie, grinder or food processor.

While grinding put very small quantity at a time if the mixie appears overloaded due to lack of enough water, sprinkle a few drops of water (only)

• Mix the ingredients 2 to 6 to the Dal very well.
• Keep a deep bottom pan on the stove
• Pour the enough oil for frying
• Once the oil is hot enough you can start shaping the Vada
• Wet your hands, take the ground mixture in a lemon size and make a circle shape. In the center put a hole with the finger, and do a final touchup to make the shape perfect

• Slowly drop the Vada in the oil and flip it in between (number of Vadas at a time depending on the size of the pan. Give a small gap in between while putting Vadas, to make sure they won’t stick together in oil)
• Once the Vada is fried to golden color, move it to a tissue paper or perforated pan to drain the extra oil.