ULLI VADA

I love eating ulli vadas on a rainy day. Maybe because I saw an advertisement on TV , wherein,  the husband asks his wife to make some ulli vadas , while he was enjoying the rains.

Recipe

1. 1 medium sized onion , thinly sliced
2. 3 Tbsp besan(kadalamav,chickpea flour)
3. 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
4. salt to taste
5. 2 - 3 Tbsp water
6. curry leaves chopped

Method

• Slice the onion into thin slices.
  

• Transfer it into a mixing bowl. slightly rub the onion slices using your hands , so that they separate into individual slices.
  
  
  
  

• Now add 3 Tbsp  chickpea flour(kadalamav, besan) , 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder , salt and chopped curry leaves.
  

• Mix it well. Some of the flour will sink to the bottom . That's ok.
  

• Now add 1 Tbsp water at a time and mix. The onion slices along with the flour mixture should come together , when you hold it inside your palm. Until then add 1 Tbsp water at a time. 
  

  

  
  
  

  

• The mixture is ready to be fried. If you plan to fry it later , keep it in the fridge.

Frying the vadas

• Heat a wok on the stove. When warm pour oil .Wait for the oil to heat up. Meanwhile line a plate with kitchen towels to put the vadas after frying.
  
• The oil is hot enough to fry , when you put a dollop of the mixture and it comes sizzling to the top after a 2 seconds.
• Add small amounts of the onion mixture (clumped together) , using your hands or a fork.
  

          

• Fry on one side for a minute and turn over and fry on the other side for another minute.(Switch between high and medium , to control the temperature of the oil).
• Drain on a paper towel. 
• Serve warm with ketchup or chutney.
  

NOTES

•  There are different varieties of besan available in the Indian store(which I was not aware of). I happened to buy laddoo besan once. The vadas and sev made with that is kind of coarse as compared to the vadas and sev made with very fine besan. The taste remained the same ,though. Buy the pack that says just besan or chickpea flour.
• If you are planning to prepare the mixture ahead and keep in the fridge , then don't add water. Add water  as necessary ,just before frying. As the onions sit , it will release water.
• After the vadas are drained onto a kitchen towel ,transfer it to a cooling rack. This will keep it more crispy. Keeping it on the paper towel for a long time will make it soggy.