Parippu Vada

**Full Disclosure** These Parippu Vadas were made by my mom because I’m too scared to deep fry things. . Something I love about Indian households is the “chaar baje ki chai” aka “Naalu mani chai” aka 4 PM tea, and the accompanying snacks. That’s right folks chai = tea. Therefore chai tea latte is redundant. As is naan bread. Okay rant over. On a cold day, a plate of fresh parippu vadas (lentil fritters) and a cup of piping hot chai is a must. I know vadas vary according to region, but here’s the Kerala version!

*Recipe* - 2 c yellow split peas (chana dal) washed and soaked overnight - 2 in. piece of ginger chopped - 1 c chopped onions - 2 sprigs of curry leaves - 5-6 dried red chilis - salt to taste

• Soak dal overnight • Drain the dal and grind coarsely without adding water. • Finely chop ginger, dried red chilies, onions and curry leaves finely and add them to your ground dal and mix well. Add your salt in 1/2 t increments and taste along the way to avoid over seasoning. Hypertension is a real concern people. Also no one wants overly salty vadas. • Wet your hands and make small ball (ping pong size if you will) then press down to flatten. Smoothen the sides for uniform shapes. Continue doing so until all your mixture is finished. •In a heavy bottom pan, pour enough oil to cover the bottom and let it heat up. Make sure the oil is hot enough, by placing a small piece of the lentil mixture in the oil. If it bubbles, it’s ready. • Cook the vadas until both sides are golden brown. With a slotted spoon, take out your vadas and place on a paper towel.