Mixed lentils fritters ( தவள வடை )

Mixed lentils fritters ( தவள வடை )

Ingredients:

Toor Dal ( துவரம் பருப்பு )  -  1/2 cup

Channa Dal ( கடலை பருப்பு )  - 1/2 cup

Moong Dal  (பாசி பருப்பு ) -  1/3 cup

Urad Dal ( உளுந்தம் பருப்பு )  - 1/3 cup

Par boiled Rice  ( புழுங்கலரிசி )  - 1/2 cup

Dry Red Chillies  ( மிளகாய் வற்றல் ) - 6 to 8 

Asafoetida  ( பெருங்காயம் )  - 1tsp

Coconut ( தேங்காய் ) - 1/2 cup ( cut into tiny bite size )

Curry leaves ( கறிவேப்பிலை )   - 2 sprigs

Mustard seeds ( கடுகு )  -  1 tsp

Oil  ( எண்ணெய் ) - to fry

Salt (  உப்பு )  - to taste 

Steps:

Wash and soak the lentils for 2 hours. Soak the moong dhal separately. Donot grind. 

In a blender, first blend the red chillies finely.

Drain the water from the lentils and  grind the soaked lentils and the rice  in small portions into a coarse form. Add the soaked moong dhal. 

Add salt and mix well. 

The batter should neither be too thick nor too thin. It should be of a  consistency similar to cookie dough.

Slice the coconut into small bits and add to the batter.

In a pan heat 1 tablespoon of oil.
Add mustard seeds and curry leaves. Add asfoetida. Add this seasoning to the batter and mix well.
Heat sufficient oil in a pan to fry the fritters.
Once the oil is hot, you can bring the flame to medium heat . Scoop out the batter and drop it in by the spoon to fry.
Turn the fritters regularly and allow it to fry until nice brown colour.
Remove and serve with coconut chutney.
A mouth watering evening snack with coffee / tea.

My Notes:

This crispy, yummy variation is my favourite of all vadais, which is the proper name for fritters in Tamil.
It is an ethnic dish which is very popular in Madurai and Thanjavur districts. The reason it got its name as தவள வடை /Thavala vadai could be because a similar batter was used to cook adai in a bronze pot and bronze is referred to as thavala/தவள colloquially in Tamil.
This is different from the Masal vadai / paruppu vadai in which channa dal is solely used.
After my paternal grandmother' excellent thavala vadai, I got the chance to taste equally good ones prepared by my husband' maternal grandmother. Till date I miss the vadais prepared by those wonderful ladies.
This vadai is crispy outside and slightly soft inside with crunchy bits of coconut here and there.
It tastes good with chutney while hot and when it is cold is equally good and it goes as an accomplishment for rice varieties especially curd rice. When cold, it doesn't becomes soggy  like other vadais.