Aama vadai| Paruppu vadai

Happy Aadi perukku everyone! For those who don't know what it is, you can read about it here. We celebrated Aaadi perukku today. Most indian festivals are associated with specific food items and so is Aadi perukku. We made all types of kalanda sadham (mixed rice) - lemon rice, coconut rice, tamarind rice, curd rice. Added to this menu was sakkara pongal and aama vada.
My little one turned 5 months yesterday and thanks to him, I am still enjoying the company of my parents. Everything on today's menu was made by Amma. Today's post is dedicated to Aamai vadai or paruppu vadai which invariably finds its place in the menu during any special occasion or south indian festival.

Ingredients
Channa dal  - 1 cup
Thoor dal - 1 cup
Urad dal - 1/2 cup
Red chilli - 3-4 depending on the spice level
Hing - 1/4 tsp
Curry Leaves - 2 sprigs
Salt as per taste
Oil - for frying
Green chillies -2 (optional)

Method
* Soak the dals in water for atleast 2-3 hrs
* Drain all the water and grind the dals, red chilli, curry leaves in a mixer into a coarse paste. It is OK if you can still see some channa dal here and there. Add few drops of water while grinding only if required.
* Heat oil in a pan.

* Mix in hing , chopped green chillies and salt

* Moisten your fingers and palm with water. This is to ensure that the mixture does not stick to your hands.    Take a small ball sized dal mixture and place it on your left palm.Flatten it a bit, lift it using your right hand and drop it in the hot oil. You can drop 4-5 vadas at a time depending on the space available in the pan. Make sure they don't stick to one another.
* Once both sides are cooked and look golden brown, take them out and drain them on paper towels.

Whenever I make the aama vadai, I usually make some for the neivedhyam/offering and keep part of the dal mixture aside. Later I mix in some chopped onions and make them masal vadas:) Yum!

Notes
Keep an eye on the oil. If the oil gets over heated, the outside will turn brown but the inside will not get cooked.

It tastes best when it is served hot. Enjoy your hot hot crispy vadas:)