Thayir vadai/Curd Vada

Thayir Vadai - Deep - Fried urad dal dumplings soaked in curd. A traditional tasty snack loved by young and the old alike. Even today(despite the health awareness), there is a huge crowd for thayir vadai in the hotels in the evening, and thayir vadai gets a permanent place on the menu card. I remember my grandmother, keeping aside some of the urad dal batter for making medu vadas, whenever she grinds for idly/dosa. We make medu vadas for most of the festivals It is compulsory to make these vadas for sraartham too. My grandma usually makes sambar vada, rasa vada, curd vada when the vadas get leftover, depending upon her mood and the availability of ingredients, but I make sure that I make in excess so that I can make thayir vadai for the evening snack. 

Ingredients required:

Medu vadas, curd, milk, coconut, green chillies, curry leaves, coriander leaves, salt, ginger, mustard seeds, oil for frying.

Homemade curd is used. Whole milk is used.

Cold-pressed groundnut oil is used.

Sev or mixture or kara boondi for garnishing. Store-bought mixture is used in this recipe.

How to make vadas:

Soak the required quantity of urad dal in water for 2 hours. Grind the dal to a smooth and fluffy batter sprinkling water at regular intervals. Add salt, ground pepper, curry leaves, and hing. Heat oil in a Kadai, take batter make a hole in the center, drop it into the hot oil, and deep fry till golden.

Equipment required:

It is advisable to grind the dal using a wet grinder. Mixie works but the grinder gives the fluffiest batter.

Vegan:

Use coconut curd and milk instead of dairy. Omit coconut. Grind ginger and green chillies alone.

Variations:

Skip the grinding part. Just soak the vadas in the curd, add 1 cut green chilli and 2 pinches of red chilli powder in the tempering and do the garnishing. You will need a slightly thicker curd for this. Add or skip milk depending upon the sourness and the consistency of the curd.

Pre preparation:

If using leftover vadas put them in boiling water for 2 minutes before adding to the curd mixture. This helps in asking the vadas spongy and absorbing the curd. Freshly prepared vadas can be directly put into the curd mixture.

Recipe:

Thayir vadai

Deep-fried urad dal dumplings soaked in curd and served with boondi

Time taken: 20 minutes if using leftover vadas.

No. Of servings : 3

1 cup= 240ml

Ingredients with measurements:

Medu vadai or ulundu vadai - 6

Curd - 2 or 3 cups.

Milk - 1/2 cup

Salt - 1/4 tsp

To grind:

Coconut - a piece

Green chillies - 3 or 4

Ginger - 1/2"

Hing - 1/4 tsp

Tempering:

Oil - 1/2 tsp

Mustard - 1/2 tap

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Garnish:

Sev or mixture or kara boondi - 2 tbsp

or 

Coriander leaves

Directions:

1. Grind the ingredients given under ' to grind'.

2.  Take the curd and milk in a wide-mouthed bowl. Beat well.

3. Add ground paste and salt. Mix well.

4. Add the vadas. Pour some curd on the top of the vadas. 

5. Add the tempering. Mix well.

6. Garnish with mixture or boondi before serving.

Note:

• The curd used has to be slightly sour, so it is advisable to use homemade curd.
• If using store-bought curd, do not use milk for adjusting the consistency. Instead, use water.