Chettinad Style Vada Kari | Steamed Low fat Vada Curry | Step by Step Recipe

Chettinad Vadai Kari

Chettinad cuisine is truly special in their use of fresh spices and I am a big fan of this cuisine. I have re- created many chettinad preparations like - Raw banana Kofta, Chettinad pakkoda curry, Chettinad Pavakkai Kuzhambhu, Chettinad mutton sukka varuval & Chettinad Chicken. Vadai Kari/ Vada Curry is a dumpling curry that is famous in South India usually served in hotels and tiffen joints along with hot idlies or dosas. I already posted Amma's version of Vada Curry but today I wanted to do a twist and make it in a chettinad style using fresh roasted spices. The result was an excellent curry, also I have made the vadas/ vadai using a steaming method, its low fat version and can be enjoyed for a filling breakfast.

How to make vada curry 

Steamed low fat vada curry recipe

CHETTINAD VADA KARI | VADA CURRY RECIPE

Recipe Source - Own
Prep time - 2 hrs for soaking + 10 mins to prep
Cook time - 20 mins
Serves - 3-4 generously
Serving Suggestion - With idly, dosa, appam or idiyappam

Ingredients

For the Vada/ Dumplings

Channa Dal - 1 cup
Water - 1 and 1/2 cup for soaking
Curry leaves - 8 nos
Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
Red chilli - 4 nos torn
Salt - 1/2 tsp

For Masala powder

Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
Poppy seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 spring (8-10 leaves)
Dry red chilli - 4 nos
Cardamom - 2 no
Cloves - 2 no
Cinnamon stick - 1/2 inch stick

For the Curry

Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Jeera/ cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Bay leaf - 1 
Curry leaves - 4-5
Small onion/ shallots - 10-15, quartered
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Tomato - 2 large, chopped 
Red chilli powder - 3/4 tsp
Coriander powder - 3 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Jeera/ cumin powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp / as required
Coriander / mint leaves - 2 tbsp chopped (to garnish)

Method

1. Soak channa dal for 2-3 hrs with 1 and 1/2 cup water. Discard the water and add the channa dal with curry leaves, fennel seeds, dry red chilli and drink to a course paste without any water (Very important). Then prepare an idly vessel, bring water to boil, grease the idly plate and make small balls out of the channa dal and flatten it arrange in the idly plate. Steam cook for 10 minutes, the dumplings will turn hard and get completely cooked. Switch off and remove the dumplings and set aside.

2. In a dry pan, dry roast fennel seeds, poppy seeds, curry leaves and dry red chilli. After two minutes switch off and let this cool down. Blend the spices into a course powder along with cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. In a wide pan add oil, splutter the mustard seeds, add the jeera and bay leaf once the aroma comes add in the curry leaves. To this add chopped shallots and cook until transparent. Now add the ginger garlic paste and cook until raw smell goes away for 3 minutes. Add the chopped tomato and salt mix well and cook covered for 3 minutes until mushy.

3. Now add in the spices turmeric, red chilli, cumin, coriander and mix well along with the ground powder. Add 2 cups water and bring this to a boil, cook for 4 minutes. Check for salt and spices. Now tear the dumpling into bite sized pieces and add this to the curry. Mix well and cook in medium- low flame for 3 minutes until combined. Garnish with coriander leaves and mint leaves and cover for the flavours to develop. Serve warm with idlies and dosa.

Vadai Curry South Indian Curry

COOKS WISDOM

TIP 1

1. Make sure that you do not burn the whole spices while dry roasting, the poppy seeds tend to thicken the curry a bit and also after adding the dumplings the curry will thicken. Dumplings tend to absorb all the curry.

TIP 2

2. I did not have coriander seeds and instead used corriander powder, you can go ahead and dry use coriander seeds for more flavour.

TIP 3

3. Some people even add coconut milk / coconut paste to vada kari but its optional. Since the dumplings tend to make the curry a little heavy I skip using coconut.

MORE SOUTH INDIAN SPECIALS

SAMBAR
RASAM
KOOTU
MEDHU VADAI
SAMBAR VADAI
VADAKARI
THAYIR VADAI
IDLY DOSA
ADAI DOSA
RAVA IDLY
PARUPPU RASAM
KARA KUZHAMBHU