Vazhaipoo Vadai

Wash and soak bengal gram dal (channa dal) and tur dal together for 2 hours.

Take tender banana flowers alone, chop it and keep in diluted buttermilk until use to prevent discoloration.

After 2 hours, drain the water completely from the dal, add green chillies, fennel seeds, red chillies, ginger and garlic paste,  salt needed and grind it for 2-3 seconds.

Then add the tender chopped banana flowers (drain all the buttermilk and then add), and grind it coarsely. Do not operate the mixie at a stretch. Grind it for 3-4 seconds, leave a gap of 3 seconds and then grind again. If you grind it at a stretch, it will become a smooth paste which we do not want. The vazhaipoo vada batter should be slightly coarse. Taste the batter to check for salt.

Now add finely chopped onions, 2 tbsp of finely chopped coriander leaves and few tender curry leaves. Mix everything well.

Take a lemon sized ball of the batter, flatten it with your hands and form into a disc.

Heat oil in a kadai (to check if the oil is hot enough, add a little batter, if it raises to the surface immediately, the oil is ready for frying). Once the oil is hot, reduce the temperature to medium. Drop the prepared discs/patties into the oil gently. Fry both sides until brown. Remove from oil  with a slotted ladle and place on a paper towel or colander to drain excess oil. You can fry 4-5 patties depending on the quantity of oil used.

Repeat the same process for the rest of the batter.

Enjoy delicious vazhaipoo vadai with teaor coffee!!