Nine vadai recipes for Navratri

1. Vazhaipoo (banana flower) vadai

To soak and grind:
1.5 Cups split bengal gram
4 Tbsp urad dal
4 Tbsp thoor dal
2 Tbsp raw rice
4-6 Dry red chillies
2-Inch piece ginger

To mix
2 Cups of banana flower (cleaned) and soaked in buttermilk (to prevent oxidation)
(or) use spinach or any other greens (chopped)
1 Large onion chopped
1 Tbsp fennel seeds
6 Crushed garlic cloves
Curry leaves 2 springs (chopped)
2 Green chillies chopped
Salt
Oil

METHOD

1. Soak the daals and rice for 2 hours and grind with the chillies and ginger to a coarse paste without water.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. (Add the banana flowers without the buttermilk.
3. Shape to balls, flatten out and fry to crisp golden brown.
4. Enjoy hot with a spicy mint chutney.

2. Puli (Tamarind) Vadai

1 Cup par-boiled rice
Thoor dal – 2 Tbsp
Tamarind – ½ lime size
Coconut (grated) – ½ cup
Dry red chillies 5-6
Jeera – ½ tsp
Curry leaves – 1 tbsp
Asafoetida – ½ tsp
Salt
Oil

METHOD

1. Soak the rice and daal for 2 hours. Add the rest of the ingredients and grind to a semi-fine paste.
2. Take a small piece of banana leaf or use a clean milk cover. Spread a tiny bit of oil and flatten the vadai on it so it is easy to transfer to the oil.
3. Fry the vadai on one side till it puffs up like poori and turn over to the other side.
4. This is traditionally eaten with just plain salted yoghurt. However, as a twist you could eat it with a nice homemade chicken curry as well.

3. Bottle gourd vadai

In Ayurveda, it is believed that an everyday diet that includes the locally grown gourds is a medicine to all ailments. Here is an interesting snack recipe that the whole family including the kids can enjoy.

1 Cup grated bottle gourd (without skin)
1 Cup rice flour
½ Tsp cumin seeds
1-Inch ginger (grated)
2 Green chillies (chopped)
1 Sprigs of curry leaves (chopped)
2 Sprigs of coriander leaves (chopped)
Salt
Oil

METHOD

1. Peel and grate the bottle gourd.
2. Mix all the ingredients together.
3. Flatten out and fry
4. Enjoy healthy vadais with a spicy mint chutney

4. Beetroot semolina (sooji/rava) vadai

1 Cup grated beetroot
1 Cup semolina (rava)
¾ Cup yoghurt
¼ Cup chopped onions
1 Sprig of curry leaves (chopped)
2 Sprigs of coriander leaves (chopped)
¼ Tsp baking powder
1-Inch ginger (chopped)
2 Green chillies
½ Tsp black peppercorns (crushed)
Salt
Oil

METHOD

1. In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients.
2. Check the consistency of the batter. If it is too thick, add a few teaspoons of water
3. Flatten out in an oiled banana leaf or hand and fry to golden brown.
4. Serve hot with a spicy tomato chutney.

5. Ragi vadai

1 Cup ragi flour
2 Tbsp curd
¼ Tsp asafoetida
2 Sprigs of curry leaves (chopped)
2 Green chillies
1 Tsp ghee
½-Inch ginger (chopped)

METHOD

1. In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together and add a bit of water till a dough is formed.
2. Flatten and fry to crisp
3. Serve hot with yoghurt or coconut chutney.

6. Ash Gourd vadai

1.5 Cups Raw Rice
¼ Cup Urad dal
½ Cup grated ash gourd
¼ Tsp Peppercorn
½ Tsp Cumin seeds
½ Tsp Coriander seeds
¼ Tsp Asafoetida
¼ Tsp Fenugreek seeds
2 Green chillies (copped)
1 Tbsp Curry leaves (chopped)
Salt
Oil

METHOD

1. Wash the rice and thoroughly, drain and lay it to dry on a clean cloth
2. When completely dry, add urad dal, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, peppercorn, fenugreek seeds and grind to a fine powder
3. Add the ash gourd, chillies and curry leaf and a bit of hot water to make a tight dough
4. Make even sized balls. Flatten out and fry.
5. This vadai can be served hot with a tamarind-based curry or a chickpea curry.

7. Coriander (Kothimbir) Vade

1 Cup Gram Flour
¼ Cup Rice Flour
2.5 Cups coriander leaves
1 Tsp Cumin powder
1 Tsp Coriander powder
2 Tbsp Sesame seeds
1 Tsp Amchur powder
1/2 Tsp Garam masala
1 Tsp Red chilli powder
1-Inch ginger chopped
2 Tbsp Ghee
¼ Tsp Baking soda
Salt
Oil

METHOD

1. Wash, clean and pat dry the coriander leaves. Chop them fine.
2. Add all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix together. Add a little water, till it forms a thick batter.
3. In your Ultra Pressure Cooker, use the steamer plate and pour it into a greased stainless steel container and cook for 20 mins with lid on but without the whistle.
4. Check if the centre is cooked by inserting a knife. If it comes clean, the vade is cooked. Allow to cool and remove it from the container.
5. Cut into squares and pan fry them with a bit of oil.
6. Add a fresh sprinkle of sesame seeds and serve with ketchup or hot chilli garlic sauce.

8. Sabudana (sago/tapioca) vada

1 ½ Cups sabudhana (Tapioca pearls)
2 Large potatoes (boiled)
1 ½ Tsp cumin
1 Cup roasted peanuts (roughly crushed)
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp coriander leaves (chopped)
2-3 Green chillies (chopped)
Salt
Oil

METHOD

1. Soak the sabudana in water for about two hours and drain.
2. Mash the boiled potatoes, and mix all the ingredients.
3. Make equal sized balls, flatten and fry.
4. Serve with a spicy mint chutney.

9. Pearl Millet Fenugreek Vadai

1 Cup fenugreek (methi) leaves
1 ½ Cups of bajra (pearl millet) flour
½ Cup onions (chopped)
¼ Cup yoghurt
1 Tsp chilli powder
½ Tsp turmeric powder
2 Green chillies (chopped)
1 Tbsp ghee

METHOD

1. Wash and chop the methi leaves.
2. Combine all the ingredients to form a dough.
3. Add a bit of water if needed.
4. Divide evenly, form balls, flatten and fry to golden brown.
5. Enjoy hot with a tomato garlic chutney.