Vadai Morkuzhambu

During my schooldays, I always hated morkuzhambu's.... I couldn't remember why I always avoided them but I just hated them... until I started to cook them myself. Now they've turned out to be one of my keeper recipes and that too with vadai's added, they've started to taste even more special... This is one of the recipes I came across in TV, with my chef Dhamu making them with all his touches.... The way he explains the combinations and the taste of the dish makes you drooling!!!!!!!!!!!! Believe me... this is one such recipe...

You will need..........

For the vadai

Channa dhal - 1/2 cup

Sombu - 1 tsp

Ginger - 1 inch piece

Garlic - 5 pods

Rice flour - 1 tbsp

Small onions - 1/2 cup (chopped)

Mint/Coriander/Curry leaves - 2 tbsp each (adj to your preference)

Dry red chilli - 3 (finely tearerd down)

Salt - to taste

For the kuzhambu

Coriander seeds - 2 tbspn

Curd/Buttermilk - 1 cup

Raw rice - 2 tbsp

Channa dhal - 2 tbsp

Cumin seeds - 2 tsp

Ginger - 1 inch piece 

Green chillies - 4

Curry leaves - a sprig

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Urad dhal - 1 tsp

Oil - 2 tsp

Get going..........

1. Soak channa dhal for 2 hrs for the vadai.
2. Grind ginger, garlic and sombu in the mixie jar and then add the soaked dhal. Grind it to a coarse paste. Do not add water. Just pulse them so that they are coarsely grinded.
3. Now add the coarse paste with the rest of the ingredients. Salt it to taste. Set aside.
4. Now make the kuzhambu. 
5. Dry roast channa dhal, raw rice and coriander seeds in a pan until brown. Let it cool down.
6. Then grind it along with cumin, green chillies and ginger to a smooth paste. (If you prefer you can even add 2 tbsp of grated coconut, as it will make the gravy more tastier.) Set aside.
7. Heat a kadai with oil. Temper it with mustard seeds, urad dhal and curry leaves.
8. Now add in the ground paste with half cup of water. Let it simmer for 3 mins.
9. Then you can add in the butter milk and keep stirring until it comes to boil.
10. Then simmer it for 5 mins. Set Aside.
11. Now place the kadai for making vadai's. Pour 1/2 cup of oil in the kadai. 
12. After it becomes hot enough, pinch lemon sized balls from the vada mix, flatten them between your palms and place them in oil. 
13. When they turn light brownish itself, remove them and put it directly into the gravy.
14. At first all the vada will float, but as time passes they'll be drunk with the gravy and would compliment the dish.

You can have your vada morkuzhambhu with a spicy side dish or it even tastes great with just pappad!!!!!!!!