Today’s Navarathri recipe for the third day of the Lakshmi ‘poosai’ is kadalaiparuppu vadai.

Vadai

Time taken: 15 mins + 3 hours (soaking time)

Makes 6

Ingredients:

• Chickpea/ kadalaiparuppu – ½ cup, split
• Crushed chillies – 1 tsp
• Onion – 1, medium, ground or grated
• Curry leaves – sprig, finely chopped
• Fennel seeds – 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
• Salt – ½ tsp
• Low fat oil, for deep frying

Method:

1. Soak the de-skinned and split chickpea for about three hours. Drain.
2. Keep aside 3 tbsp and then coarsely grind the remaining chickpea.
3. Mix the coarsely ground chickpea and the 3 tbsp chickpea that had been kept aside.
4. Add the remaining ingredients to the chickpea mixture and mix well.
5. Divide the seasoned chickpea mixture into 6 balls.
6. Heat the oil in a round-bottomed frying pan or wok.
7. When the oil is ready, drop the chickpea balls into the sizzling oil.
8. Fry for about two minutes each side, ensuring that each ‘vadai’ is lightly browned on all sides.
9. Remove the ‘vadai’ from the pan and transfer to a plate lined with grease absorbing paper.
10. Serve hot.

Recipe source: Raji Thillainathan.