Ulundu Vadai

Ingredients

• 1 cup urad dal
• 4 green chillis
• 1/4 tsp black peppercorn
• 3 sprigs of curry leaves
• 1 inch ginger
• 1 pinch asafoetida
• 1 tbsp rice flour (optional)
• salt to taste (3-4 tsp)
• oil for frying

Method:

• Wash the urad dal well in water and soak it for about 2-3 hours
• Drain out all the water and transfer the dal to the mixie cup.
• Add the chillies, ginger, black peppercon, curry leaves and grind it to get a thick batter.
• In between grinding sprinkle the dal with ice cold water(about 1 tsp 2 times) for smooth grinding and to avoid the mixie from getting heated.
• Transfer the batter to a bowl , add salt and asafoetida and whisk well for a couple of minutes to get a fluffy consistency.
• The batter should be fluffy and thick but not lose. One way to check the consistency would be to drop a small ball of batter into a bowl of water – the batter should float and not sink.
• Take small rounds of the batter on a well plastic sheet or moist parchment paper and flatten it.
• Make a hole in the center and slowly drop the vadai into hot oil.
• Fry on a medium flame by flipping it to the two sides for uniform golden color.
• Drain the vadai on a colander.

Notes:

• If the batter looks a bit too soft, leave it in the fridge for ten minutes.

Vella Kozhukattai

Poornam Ingredients(Around 10):

• Grated coconut 3 tbsp
• Powdered Jaggery 1.5 tbsp
• Cardamom Power 1/2 tsp
• Ghee 1/2 tsp

Kozhukattai Maavu Ingredients:

• Rice Flour 1/2 cup
• Oil 1/2 tsp
• Pinch of salt
• Water 3/4 cup

To Make the poornam:

• In a thick bottomed pan , add a teaspoon or two of water and add the powdered jaggery to it.
• Let the jaggery melt on a low flame and as it starts melting add the coconut.
• Keep stirring till it thickens and all water evaporates.
• Add cardamom and ghee. Mix and remove from flame.
• Remember to remove from flame while it is still a little moist, otherwise it will caramelize and get hard.

To make the maavu:

• Take the water in a pan , add salt and oil .
• As it starts boiling , reduce the flame.
• Slowly add the flour to the water and keep stirring , ensuring no lumps.
• As the flour starts leaving the pan and gets thick, remove from fire.
• Transfer the dough to a plate – knead it a few times while warm.
• Cover with a moist cloth and leave for ten minutes.

To make the Kozhukattai:

• Grease your fingertips with oil and take small roundels of the dough and keep pressing along the edge with your index finger and thumb of both hands to make cups.
• Add a 1/2 tsp of poornam into the cup and close the poornam along the edge.
• Steam all kozhukattai’s for ten minutes.