Thayir / Curd Vadai

                Thayir Vadai is a very delicious variety of Vadai.Whenever Uzhundha Vadai is prepared by me, I always reserve atleast four Vadais for soaking in the Curd as we always have curd in the fridge.Only Kara Boondhi may not be there.

               Similarly whenever mixture is made by me, I set aside 2 tablespoons of Kara Boondhi for Thayir Vadai or Boondhi Raitha.

            Two handfuls of Oma Podi is saved for Bhel Pori or any Chat item.

Thayir Vadais

Ingredients :

Uzhundha Vadais    5
Curd    1 cup.
Green Chilly   1
Ginger   1 small piece
Oil, Salt, Hing, Mustard.

For Garnishing :

Kara Boondhi  5 tbsp.
Coriander leaves.

Method :

1. If the Vadais are very cold, heat the oil,drop the Vadais in the oil for a minute and take from the oil.No need of flipping to the other side or waiting for the bubbles in the oil to disappear as it is already fried in the oil.

Most of the people advise the Vadais to be soaked in hot water for a minute, so that the oil comes out, the Vadais may absorb less curd and the Vadais may be soft.However soaked in hot water, only soft Vadais become soft after soaking in curd.

If the Vadais are hard, Thayir Vadais will also be hard.


2. Whisk the curd well.Season with Mustard, Hing and add to the curd after cooling for a minute.Grind the Chilly, Ginger and salt in a mixer.Mix with the curd well.


3. Soak the Vadais thirty minutes before serving.While serving, garnish with the Kara Boondhis and Coriander leaves.

The tasty Thayir Vadais are ready.

Uzhundha Vadai / Medhu Vadai

                        No festival menu is complete in Tamil Nadu without Vadai and Payasam. This Vadai called also Medhu Vadai is a very popular and  tasty Vadai.No reason can be given for posting a common but perfect item so late.

                  This Vadai is the best combination for Pongal and Sambar.It goes well with Coconut Chutney. Yummy Thayir Vadais can be made out of these Vadais.

Uzhundha Vadais

Ingredients :

Whole white Urad Dhal    1 cup
Raw rice   2 tsp.
Green Chilly    3 - 5
Ginger   1 small piece.
Onion ( optional)
Oil,  Salt, Coriander leaves, Curry leaves.


Method:

1.Soak Urad Dhal and rice for 1 hour.Rice is added for the Vadais to be crispy.Rice flour can also be added in the end instead of rice. Drain the water completely and grind in a wet grinder with the green chilly and ginger.Sprinkle 2 tbsp. of water each time for 2-3 times for the Vadais to be soft.Otherwise the Vadais will be hard.Grinding may take 12 - 15 minutes.The dough must be fluffy and little flexible but rigid enough to be made into Vadais.Add salt in the end.

2. Add finely chopped Onion, Curry leaves and Coriander leaves.Mix well.

3. Make the dough into Vadais, drop in the hot oil.When one side is cooked, flip to the other side and remove from oil, after the bubbles disappear. The hot and tasty Vadais are ready.

Notes :

Many people add chopped green chilly but that is bitten at times and becomes hot and spicy for kids and adults also.So when ground in the grinder, it is safe. Adding Ginger gives a good flavour.

It is better to blend the Chilly and Ginger in the small mixer and add to the Urad Dhal while grinding in the wet grinder.Anyhow, the mixer has to be taken for grinding the Chutney for Vadais.

Vazhaipoo / Banana Stem Vadai

                       Vazhaipoo Vadai is a very special , tasty and crispy Vadai of Tamil Nadu.Vazhaipoo also has a lot of medicinal properties.

               All the other ingredients and method are the same as Paruppu Vadai. Either Vadai Paruppu or Channa Dhal can be used.

                     Clean the Vazhaipoo and dip in the water mixed with little curd or butter milk to avoid changing into black colour. For 1 cup of Dhal, add 1 cup of Vazhaipoo. Though the the quantity of Dhal and Banana stem are the same 1: 1, the Dhal enlarges after soaking.All the other ingredients are the same.

                    After grinding the Dhal and the other ingredients, add the Banana stem in the end and grind for 2 or 3 minutes.There is no need of partly cooking the Banana stem before grinding as some people do because it gets cooked well in the oil as Vadais are deep fried in oil.

Vazhaipoo Vadai