Wash the urad dal thoroughly and soak it in 3 cups of water for at least 4-6 hours, or overnight.
Drain the soaked urad dal completely. Transfer the dal to a wet grinder or a high-speed blender. Add water, a little at a time, and grind into a very smooth, fluffy batter. The batter should be thick enough to hold its shape but light. Do not add too much water.
Transfer the batter to a large bowl. Add green chilies, grated ginger, curry leaves, chopped onion (if using), crushed black peppercorns, salt, and rice flour (if using). Mix well with your hands, stirring in one direction, for 2-3 minutes until everything is thoroughly combined and the batter becomes even lighter.
Heat oil for deep frying in a heavy-bottomed pan or kadai over medium heat. To check if the oil is hot enough, drop a small piece of batter; it should sizzle and immediately float to the top.
Wet your hands with water. Take a small portion of the batter (about the size of a golf ball), flatten it slightly, and make a hole in the center with your thumb or finger, similar to a doughnut. You can also use a small bowl or a banana leaf to shape them.
Carefully slide the shaped vadas into the hot oil. Fry 3-4 vadas at a time, depending on the size of your pan, without overcrowding. Fry them over medium-low to medium heat, turning occasionally, until they are golden brown and crispy on all sides (about 3-5 minutes per batch).
Remove the fried vadas with a slotted spoon and drain excess oil on paper towels. Serve hot with sambar and coconut chutney.
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