Breakfast, Paratha/Flatbread
Sanika Khadilkar
Aloo Paratha
Aloo Paratha

Dal Vada

Dal Vada

Serves: makes around 35 vadas

Dal vada or lentil fritters is a very popular snack from South India. The main ingredients are chana dal and onion. I have added dill leaves in this recipe to make it more tastier. This snack goes perfect with Indian chai. There are many versions to this recipe but, this is my favourite and easy version.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups chana dal
  • 1 large onion chopped finely
  • ¼ cup chopped dill leaves
  • handful of chopped cilantro
  • Salt to taste
  • 4-5 green chillies
  • 1 inch ginger
  • oil to fry

Method:

  1. Soak chana dal in a sufficient water for 5-6 hours. After 5 hours, drain the water from chana dal.
  2. Add drained chana dal, chillies, and ginger in a grinder. Make a coarse paste. Do not add water. If the mixture is not grinding properly, add little water.
  3. Add grinded paste in a bowl. Add chopped cilantro, chopped dill leaves, chopped onion, and salt.
  4. Heat oil in a pan. Make a round lemon size balls out of the paste. Flatten them between your palms. Drop them into hot oil slowly. Deep fry them till they are fully cooked and change the colour to brown. Drain them on a paper.
  5. Serve hot with ketchup and chai.
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Sambar (Instant Pot Recipe)

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Sambar (Instant pot recipe)

Serves: 4 persons

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup toor daal
  • 1½ cup cut vegetables of your choice
  • 1 tablespoon sambar masala
  • 2½ tablespoon oil
  • ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • ¼ teaspoon asafoetida
  • 7-8 curry leaves
  • 2 dry red chillies
  • ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder
  • ½ teaspoon tamarind paste
  • Salt to taste
  • 4½ cups of water
  • Handful of chopped cilatro

Method:

  1. Wash and rinse toor daal couple of times. Keep rinsed daal aside. Cut vegetables of your choice.
  2. Turn on the saute mode on instant pot. Add 1 tablespoon oil. Add vegetables. Saute for ½ minute and add rinsed toor daal. Mix everything and cook for 1 minute.
  3. Add water, salt, sambar masala, and tamarind paste. Give a quick stir. Cancel the saute mode.
  4. Put the lid on into sealing position. Press manual for 15 minutes on high setting.
  5. After 15 minutes, let the pressure realese naturally. As the pin drops, open the lid. Mix everything with the spatula. Cancel the manual mode and turn on the saute mode.
  6. Seasoning Preparation: Heat a small pan on medium-high flame and add remaining oil. Add mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds. Let the mustard seeds crackle. Add asafoetida, curry leaves, dry red chillies, turmeric powder, and red chilli powder. Pour this seasoning over the ready sambar in instant pot. Add chopped cilantro and mix well.
  7. Let it boil for a minute and then cancel the saute mode.
  8. Serve hot with Idli or Dosa.