Vada Kari | Lentil Curry

Vada Kari, Vada Curry, Vadai Curry or Vade Curry whatever we may call it but it's the same curry which is just delicious infused with spices.  I love vade curry, a delicacy in Chennai but its pity that now a days it's so difficult to get this wonderful dish in Chennai restaurants or udupi hotels.  Few of the upudi hotels still server this wonderful dish but one has to go there early morning, so why not make of our own and enjoy? It's a simple recipe only list of ingredients may look long but then it's quite simple, lot of people use leftover masala vada to make this & you can do the same.

 

Ingredients:

For Vadai

Channa Dal - 1 cup

Fennel Seeds - 1 tsp

Green Chiles - 2

Ginger - 1 tsp chopped [optional]

Onion -1/2

Cilantro - 2 tbsp chopped

Salt - to taste

Water - 1-2 tbsp [if required]

Oil - To brush pan

For Curry

Oil - 1 tbsp

Bay Leaf - 1

Clove - 2

Cinnamon - 1" pieces

Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tps

Onion - 1 large

Tomato - 2 large

Minced Ginger-Garlic - 1 tbsp [or ginger-garlic paste 1 tbsp]

Green Chilies - 2

Red Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp

Coriander Powder - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp

Coconut - 1/4 cup grated

Salt - to taste

Cilantro - 1 tbsp chopped

Water - 2-3 cups

Method:

1. Wash and soak channa dal either for 2-4 hours or overnight.  Chop onion, tomato, and cilantro, slit the chilies and keep aside.

2. Wash, drain all the water from soaked dal and grind coarse with fennel seeds, ginger, chilies.  Add 1 tbsp of water only if required.  

3.With the grinded mixture add 1/2 chopped onion, cilantro, salt and mix well.

4. Heat a skillet or pan, brush oil and make small adai of dal mixture, drizzle little oil and cook both sides until brown.  Don't worry about the shape, it's not we are focusing on.  Do the same for remaining dal mixture.

[To make the adai use small amount of dal mixture and spread over tawa, wet hand with water so it will be easy to spread the mixture]  

5. Meanwhile we can start making the gravy, in pan heat oil, add bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon, and cumin seeds allow it to crack.  Add ginger-garlic, onion and green chilies sauté until onion becomes pink, add all the spice powder and mix well.

6.  Add chopped tomato, cook with lid until tomato mash well, add salt and 2-3 cups water; bring it to good boil and simmer for 5 minutes.  

7. Once all the adai done, tire them into small pieces and add in to the curry mix gently.   

8. Grind coconut with little water in to smooth paste and add to the curry, mix carefully, adjust salt if required.  Simmer for 5 more minutes and off the flame. Garnish with cilantro.  

If the vade curry kept for long time the dal mixture will absorb all the gravy so have it while it's warm with dosa/ idly or even with roti it goes well. 

 
And this goes to Srivalli's Breakfast Mela.

Have a good day ~~