Masala Vada

A very healthy snack made regularly in my mother's home. The dhal content is very good for our health. When my chithi makes it, we used to put away our work and just sit beside her in the kitchen and munch as and when the vada comes out from the hot oil. Hhhmmmm, so yummy, one more, one more, and it goes on!
And back to my home here, I have tried her version of the Vada and sundu comes to the kitchen to munch one after the other.
This time I stopped him right away, just for a simple silly reason. I have to click some nice pictures for my blog! He is just waiting for the session to get over and there he comes for a bite!
The recipe calls for,

You need:


Thoor Dhal - 2 cups
Channa Dhal - 1/4 cup
dry red chillies - 10 pieces
Ginger - 1/2 inch chopped finely
Curry leaves - Few
Onion finely chopped- 1/2 Cup (Optional, it is must for masala vada)
Salt - To taste
Hing - A Pinch
Oil - For Frying the Vadai,

Mix all the dhals and Soak the dhals in water for about 2 hours. As we do not want to make a paste. We want to coarsely grind to get nice crunchy tasty vada. After 2 hours filter the water and keep the dhal for about 30 mins.
Keep 3 table spoon of the dhal separately in a bowl and grind the remaining dhal with salt, red chillies and a pinch of hing without adding water. Add the above ground mixture with the 3 table spoon of the dhals in a bowl along with onion, ginger, and curry leaves. Heat the oil in a kadai and once the oil is hot, make small rounds of ground dhal and press it flat and fry it in the oil. Fry it in medium low flame.
Once the Vadai becomes reddish brown color take it out in a bowl with a paper towel to dry the oil and serve hot.
Serve hot with chutney of your choice.