Parippu Vada (Lentil Fritters / Pakora - Kerala style)

 

          Parippu Vada is a very popular Kerala style deep fried fritters made of chana dal and tuvar dal. They are absolutely easy to make and are an ideal tea-time snack / party snack. Few basic ingredients like onion, ginger, green chilies and curry leaves are needed to dish out these yummy vadas. You can also enjoy these fritters as an appetizer with any chutney. They tastes real yum. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1 cup chana dal (Bengal Gram lentil)
• 1/3 cup tuvar dal (Pigeon Pea lentil)
• 1 onion, chopped 
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• 2 sprigs curry leaves, chopped
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. red chili flakes
• salt to taste
• oil to deep fry

          Soak the lentils overnight or for a minimum of 4-5 hours. Then blend it coarsely without adding any water. 

          Now mix together with all the remaining ingredients (except oil) and keep aside. 

          Meanwhile, heat oil in a pan. Take a small portion of the mix and give it a round flat shape. 

          Gently drop it in the hot oil and fry on both sides till golden in colour. Drain on a kitchen towel and serve as a tea-time snack. 

                                  Blend the soaked lentils coarsely without adding any water. 

                                 Mix together with all the remaining ingredients (except oil).

                     Make round shaped flat balls out of the mix & drop them in the hot oil. 

    

                                 Fry on both sides till golden in colour.

                                  Drain on a kitchen towel.

                                   Enjoy as a tea-time snack. 

Rosh Bora (Lentil Dumplings in Sugar Syrup - Bengali Sweet)

          This is a traditional Bengali homemade sweet not usually sold commercially. Rosh means syrup and bora means fritters / pakoras. So it is a simple recipe of deep fried pakoras made of  split urad dal (black gram lentil) and dunked in saffron infused sugar syrup. It is not so popular compared to other Bengali sweets, but nevertheless it is very yummy. For some variation, you can put few raisins inside the pakoras before frying them. Garnish with some chopped nuts and enjoy them chilled or at room temperature. 

• 1/4 cup urad dal (split black gram), soaked overnight
• 1/2 tsp. fennel seeds (saunf)
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• pinch of salt
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 cups water
• pinch of saffron 
• 2-3 green cardamoms
• chopped dry fruits to garnish 
• oil to deep fry

          For the syrup, take water, cardamoms and sugar in a pan and bring it to a boil. Simmer for 8-10 minutes. Add the saffron and keep aside. 

          Grind the urad dal to a smooth paste by using very little water. Add the fennel seeds, salt, cardamom powder and baking soda. Mix everything well and beat for a while to make it fluffy.

          Heat oil. Make small round balls out of the dal mix and deep fry them in batches till golden brown in color. Drain and add them to the syrup. 

          Soak for a couple of hours. Garnish with the chopped nuts and serve at room temperature or chilled. 

Mixed Dal Palak Pakora (Mixed Lentil Spinach Fritters)

          A bowl of hot and crispy pakoras is anytime welcome. If it happens to be a rainy day or a cold winter night, then the excitement reaches to another level. So how about trying out some mixed lentil and spinach pakoras / fritters? Enjoy these yummy small bites as a tea-time snack or as an appetizer with any chutney of your choice or tomato sauce. 

• 1/2 cup mixed dal, soaked overnight
• salt to taste
• 1" ginger
• 2 green chilies
• 2-3 tbsp. spinach puree
• 1/2 tsp. coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
• pinch of turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tsp. flax seed
• pinch of baking soda
• oil to deep fry

          Blend together all the above mentioned ingredients (except flax seed and oil) into a smooth paste. Add very little water only if needed. 

          Add the flax seed and the baking soda. Whisk well and refrigerate for an hour. 

          Heat oil in a pan and drop spoonful of it and fry on a medium flame till light golden in colour. Drain on a kitchen towel and serve with any homemade chutney or sauce. 

Mixed Dal Vada (Mixed Lentil Fritters)

          These are simple and tasty homemade style vadas made out of mixed lentils (chana, moong, urad and masoor dal). They can be served as a great tea-time snack or as appetizers along with some green chutney or ketchup. I added some kalonji (nigella seeds) for some great flavour along with other ingredients. 

          They can also be had as a side dish along with dal-chawal (rice-lentil combo) which is my personal favourite. Any leftover vadas can be crumbled and served along with beaten yoghurt, red & green chutney, sev, etc as an excellent chaat snack. 

• 2 tbsp. moong dal (split green gram)
• 2 tbsp. chana dal (Bengal gram)
• 2 tbsp. urad dal (split black gram)
• 2 tbsp. masoor dal (red lentil)
• salt to taste
• 2 fresh red chilies, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. amchur powder (dry mango powder)
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• 2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. kalonji (nigella seeds)
• oil to deep fry

          Soak the lentils for two hours. Drain and grind without any water to a slightly coarse paste. Mix with all the other ingredients, except oil and keep aside.

          Heat oil in a pan and drop spoonful of the batter. Deep fry them few at a time on a low flame till golden in colour. 

           Drain on a kitchen towel and serve them hot with green chutney or ketchup.