Vada curry is one of the popular South Indian gravies prepared with bengal gram / kadalai paruppu, which is served as a side dish for idly and dosai. It is also a good combo for appam.

Ingredients:

Serves: 4 people

For making vadai:

• 1/4 cup - Bengal gram / kadalai paruppu / chana dal
• 1 or 2 nos - Dry red chillies
• 1/ tsp - Fennel seeds / sombu
• 1/8 tsp - Turmeric powder
• Salt to taste

For making curry:

• 1 no - Onion (chopped finely)
• 1 no - Tomato (chopped finely)
• 1 tsp - Ginger garlic paste
• 1/4 tsp - Turmeric powder
• 1 tsp - Red chilli powder
• 1 1/2 tsp - Coriander powder
• 1 tbsp - Coriander leaves for garnishing

For grinding:

• 3 tbsp - Coconut grated
• 2 nos - Cashew nuts
• 3 pinches - Poppy seeds

Seasonings:

• 1 tbsp - Oil
• 1 small - Cinnamon stick
• 1 no - Clove
• 1 no - Bay leaf
• 1/4 tsp - Fennel seeds
• 2 pinches - Asafoetida
• Fresh curry leaves
• Salt to taste

Preparation method:

Making of vadai:

1. Wash and soak bengal gram in enough water for 2 to 3 hours or until well soaked. Set it aside.
2. Transfer soaked bengal gram to a mixer grinder / blender along with dry red chillies, fennel seeds, turmeric powder and required salt. Grind them to a coarse paste.
3. Pinch little amount of batter like we make for pakoda and arrange them in slightly greased idly plates and steam them for about 10 minutes  or until well cooked and keep it aside.

Making of curry:

1. Grind items given in the list for grinding to a fine paste. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in the pan, season with items given in the list for seasoning. Add chopped onion and ginger garlic paste, saute until they are slightly golden brown in color.
3. Add tomato, saute until they are mushy. Now add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and coriander powder, saute until raw smell goes.
4. Add 2 to 2 1/2 cups of water and along with required salt, bring it to boil  and cook for 5 to 10 minutes.
5. Now add vadai in the curry and once again bring it to boil. After few minutes, add ground coconut paste and cook until curry becomes thick or desired consistency you like. Finally sprinkle few coriander leaves on top and serve hot with idly, dosai or appam, white rice.

Notes:

• You can also deep fry vadai and add it to the curry. I prefer steaming method rather than deep fried one.
• You can also use left over masala vadai for making this curry.