Urad dal masala vada with spicy dal dip....my savory yellow legume winter treat!

Alrighty! Here is my favorite winter snack "Urad dal masala vada with spicy dal dip" , which goes to all these events. If anybody (event hosts I mean) do not want it, let me know!! :D

I am sending this to Srivalli of "cooking4allseasons", who is guest hosting the event "My Legume love affair-7th helping" , which is started by Susan of "Well seasoned cook".
This is also my second entry for Sunshinemom of "Tongueticklers", who is hosting a event with a theme "Yellow-Food in colors" .
This savory also goes to Srilekha of "Srishkitchen" for her event "EFM-Savories" as well.
Just came to know about these events called "Sunday Snacks-Hot and Spicy" being hosted by Pallavi of "All things yummy" blog and "Chutney/dip Mania" from Ramya of "Mane Adige" blog. Here is my hot one and a dip!

Thanks to all of you for hosting these events. Hope you like my contribution! :))

Urad dal masala vada with spicy dal dip:
I am sure most Indians know about this yummy snack. Uddina Vade, as they are called in Kannada, are the most popular snack or breakfast in Karnataka served in every restaurant with either Sambhar or Rasam and also with Idlis.
I usually make these during cold days of Winter which are great to munch on while watching a movie or two on lazy Sundays!! Then they become "Mosaru vade" (ie Urad dumplings dunked in chilled spicy yogurt) in lazy Summer Sundays! :))



You need:

1 cup Urad dal, soaked in water for 2-3 hrs,
1 tbsp rice, soaked with Urad dal, (makes it crisp)

a big pinch of baking soda,

enough salt to taste.

Chop these very finely:

1/2 big onion,

few curry leaves,
1 small Jalapeno,
3-4 tbsp chopped Cilantro.
Few slivers of fresh coconut will add taste but optional.

Oil to deep fry.

How to make the vadas:
1. Drain the water from the soaked dal, add to the mixer (Sumeet is best if you have it) along with salt and blend until smooth, fluffy without adding water if you can manage that. If you have to add water, keep it to minimum amount. If batter is watery, it's impossble to shape them like doughnuts, you will end up with round dumplings.
2. Take out in a bowl, mix all the chopped ingredients mentioned above, beat well to get the air in the batter which makes them fluffy when fried.
3. Heat enough oil to deep fry in a wok/Kadai/electric deepfryer to 360F.
4. Now, here is how I do the doughnut shape. I wet my left hand palm with water, take a lump of batter with my right hand,put it on the left palmand with my right index finger, I make a big wide hole.
5. Then quickly slide in the Vada into the hot oil, wash the laft palm quickly and get to the next vada doughnut making like machine! :D
6. Deep fry them until golden and take them out on the paper towel to drain. Keep them in the warm oven until the time to serve comes around.

In India, sometimes oiled or wet banana leaves are used to make vadas which makes it easy slide off the vadas to the oil. You could try using foil too but I find good old palms are the best tool for making these.
Batter must be as thick as you can get or else it won't form a doughnut shape. If not thick, you can also just drop them with a spoon into the oil as round balls, tastes the same but looks nontraditional shaped urad vadas.
Beating the batter to incorporate air into it is one of the tricks to make fluffy light vadas which is not easy but experience is the key. Don't worry if you don't always get perfect doughnut shapes either, it's not easy and doesn't change the taste in any way! :)

Now, how I make spicy dal as a dip to these crunchy vadas!!

Spicy dal dip:
You need these first:
1/4 cup each of chana dal, Masoor dal, Moong dal,
2 cups of water to cook the dals,
1/4 cup tomato sauce,
Salt.
Masala:
2 tsp coriander seeds powder,
1/2 tsp cumin seeds powder,
1/2 tsp chilli powder,
1/2 tsp Garam masala (optional).
To temper:
1 tbsp butter+ 1 tsp oil,
pinch of Hing,
2 red dry chillies, broken,
1 tsp Cumin seeds,
1/4 cup chopped onion,
2-3 garlic cloves, sliced,
1 tsp ginger, grated.

How to make the dal:
1. Cook all 3 dals with water in the Microwave or in te pressure cooker until soft, mix well and keep aside.
2. Take a pan, add cooked dal, Tomato sauce, masala powders (spices), salt and simmer gently until tomato sauce is cooked and raw smell goes. Adjust the salt and spices. Add cilantro and turn off the heat.Sauce should be thicker than the usual to use as a dip.
3. Heat oil and butter in a pan, add the tempering ingredients one by one to the oil, fry until the onions and garlic are reddish.
4. Add the tempering to dal amd mix well to serve with Urad dal Vadas.

There is my snack combo or sometimes Sunday dinner too if I eat too many! Have a wonderful week ahead, see you later! :D