This is an addictive little snack! Crispy, spicy, and protein-packed, parippu vadas are typically sold in coffee shops in south India and are traditionally served with a nice coffee or steaming cup of chai. Prepare a batch the next time you gather to watch the game—just be sure you leave a couple of hours for soaking the chana dal.
Parippu Vadas
Servings 25
Ingredients
- 2 cups chana dal or yellow split peas rinsed
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 10-12 curry leaves chopped
- 4 Indian or Thai green chiles halved lengthwise
- 1 1/2 inch piece ginger, peeled and chopped
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp asafetida powder
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 2 cups vegetable oil for deep-frying
- Coconut Chutney or Tomato Chutney to serve
- Cardamom Chai to serve
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine chana dal and 6 cups water and soak for 2 hours.
- Drain well, then transfer lentils to a food processor and process into a coarse paste. Transfer paste to a clean bowl.
- Add onions, curry leaves, chiles, ginger, salt, asafetida, and turmeric and mix well. Shape a spoon of the mixture into a 1-inch-diameter ball and, using the palm of your hand, slightly flatten. Repeat with the remaining mixture.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add patties (avoid overcrowding) and fry for 2 minutes. Flip over and fry for another 2 minutes, until golden brown. Transfer the vadas to a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat until all the vadas have been made.
- Serve immediately with coconut or tomato chutney and cardamom chai.
Excerpted from Coconut Lagoon by Joe Thottungal with Anne DesBrisay. Photographs by Christian Lalonde. Copyright 2019 by Coconut Lagoon. Excerpted with permission from Figure 1 Publishing. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.