Chillu Garelu (Minapa Vada)

Blogging Marathon# 43: Week 2/ Day 1

Theme: Navarathri -- Festival Special

Dish: Garelu (Vada)

My theme for this week is dishes made for Navarathri. I planned on having all the dishes ready while on vacation in India, but the last week got too hectic and I couldn't get the posts ready on time.Thanks to my mom who made 2 dishes for me, I have the pictures ready. We are back home now and slowly getting back to routine.
After signing up for this theme, I called my cousin for suggestions for dishes that are typically made for Navarathri. She immediately emailed me the list of dishes that are made on each of the 9 days during Dasara celebrations. I will post that list soon.

Today I have a very simple dish that is made with just a few ingredients but it needs some patience to practice to master. Garelu/ Vada are quintessential dish that is made for festivals, special occasions like marriages, house warming and so on.
I am no expert in vada making, but my mom makes some fluffy, soft ones. The key in the success of vada/ gaarelu making is the consistency of the batter, if the batter is too thcik then the vada will turn out hard and if it is too thin then they won't hold their 'vada' shape. My mom says that the garelu/ vada made in the stone grinder (Ultra grind, for example) turn out much softer and fluffier than the ones ground in the blender.


Ingredients:

Urad dal - 1cup

Cumin seeds - 1tsp

Salt - to taste

Method:

• Soak urad dal in plenty of water for at least 4 hours. Grind the soaked dal with LITTLE OR NO water. Add cumin seeds, salt and set aside.
• Heat oil for deep frying. To make the vadas, take about 2-3 tbsp of batter on a ziploc bag or aluminum foil, flatten it and poke a hole in the middle. Slowly transfer it into the hot oil and fry on medium-high flame until golden brown and cooked through.
• Serve immediately with ginger chutney or sambar or coconut chutney or anything else.

Let's check out what my fellow marathoners have cooked up today for BM# 43.