Vada (Garelu) is yet another South Indian lentil based recipe. There are many variations in this recipe. A simple garae or vada is prepared by soaking urad dal for 5-6 hours then grinding by adding sliced onions and salt, then deep frying till golden. I always make it a point to prepare a simple and easy breakfast during the week days. As I have to cook and pack lunch also. But on weekends entirely a different story. A weekend is a time to relish upon some dainty breakfast delicacies may be some heavy breakfast which will turn into brunch at times.
When I say cooking is one and the most efficient form of stress buster, cooking together is much more fun and weekend is perfect time to do this. Call your loved ones and cook something with their involvement (may be little)….this will fill the air with not only the aroma of food but also with the joy, fun and laughter. Cooking together not only distresses but also gives you a quantity and quality time to spend together. Hmm isn’t it? So, get ready and plan a crazy rocking weekend. Be careful and never forget that you are in kitchen (hehehehe). Now coming to the recipe.
Vada or Garelu (Telugu) can vary in shape and size, usually look like doughnut. Even though they are deep fried the, finished product will not be too oily as the steam build-up within the vada pushes all the oil away from within the vada.
Garelu – South Indian Lentil Doughnuts
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 cups Urad dal/black gram
- 2 tbsp raw Rice
- 1 tbsp Chana dal
- 1 Onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 tbsp Jeera/cumin seeds
- 6-9 fresh Curry leaves
- 2 Green chilies, deseeded and finely chopped
- Salt
- Oil for frying
How to make Perfect Garelu:
PREPARATION:
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Combine urad dal, raw rice and chana dal. Wash throughly for 2-3 times and soak for 5-6 hours.
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Using a colander strain all the water from the dal and grind it to paste by just sprinkling drops of water if needed.
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In a bowl mix chopped onions, green chillies, jeera, curry leaves and salt. Mix well by adding above ground paste.
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Pour enough oil in a kadai or heavy bottom cooking vessel for deep frying. Slowly heat up the oil, but not too hot.
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Wet your hands with oil or water and take a lemon sized ball from the batter and flatten it on a greased plastic sheet or plantain leaf to form a circle, put a hole on the center with your finger.
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Slowly and carefully drop it into the hot oil and fry on both the sides on a medium flame, till the vada is nice golden in color.
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Once the vada’s are completely cooked take them out on a kitchen tissue/kitchen towel and repeat the process till the batter is completed.
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Serve hot with coconut chutney/peanut chutney/sambar/karivepaaku karam podi.
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Last but not least add your ‘love’ to make the dish ‘YUMMY’.
A generous drop of ghee on a hot golden vada with little spicy karivepaaku karam podi and fresh flavoured just grounded coconut chutney is all you need to seduce your taste buds.
NOTE:
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Do not over heat the oil; this may burn the vada’s.
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Do not overload the kadai or cooking vessel with too many vada’s, this may result in uncooked vada’s.
rekhas kitchen says
wow wow garelu in one of all time favorite breakfast looks so soft and fluffy yummmy and what a pic. s lubna each and every pic. looks so so so so so beautiful yummmmmmmmmmmmm.
Kitchen Flavours says
Thank you so much for a lovely comment and adoring words.
RAKS KITCHEN says
Never added raw rice and channa dal before in vadas,next time will try and see,my mom hav told adding channa dal reduces vadas drinking oil!
Happy cook says
Wow that looks so so so yummy yumm delcious.Wish i could make them, i have tried to make them but it was always a disaster.Beautiful and delcious.
Sush says
yummilicious snaps..
Varunavi says
Wonderful snaps lubna and vada looks so crispy 🙂
Parita says
Looks mouth watering lubna, gorgeous clicks…m drooling over the wadas, made me hungry 🙂
Katy ~ says
Oh, this looks mighty good! Beautiful pictures!
Priya says
WOwow drooling here rite now…Hope now my blog works out for u..i haved removed few things in main page…Send me some vada, looks gorgeous Lubna!
April Marie Claire says
OH this looks lush, I am missing out not being in India…. = (
Curry Leaf says
Yummy yummy yummy vadas.I never get them correctly .The stack looks mouthwatering
Home Cooked Oriya Food says
Looks so good… Yummy!
A2Z Vegetarian Cuisine says
Never tried adding raw rice, channa dal. Yummy vada, beautiful clicks.
Smitha says
OOOOO… I am drooling over the Vadas!! Looks soo good
chakhlere says
woww!! It looks so mouthwatering!!i loved the stack!!
Khaugiri says
Vada are looking really tempting!!!!!!!! So fluffy. I'll try these vada with rice and chana dal now.
Padma says
Vada has come out so perfect Lubna…. nice clicks…
5 Star Foodie says
Yum! I love the idea of a savory doughnut!
Sailaja says
your snaps make mw hungry….
Pooja says
Lovely Vadas Lubna! They have turned out crisp and perfect. I usually make the simple vada with urad dal. Guess adding channa dal and rice gives more crispiness. Should try next. And awesome and tempting shots!!
Srilakshmi says
My first time here… I'm drooling over the pics.. I simply love garelu.. great recipe!
DEESHA says
thatz a perfect pic for Click-Stacks
Ashwini says
vada loooks perfect.. i luv ur clicks
JennDZ - The Leftover Queen says
Wow those look great! I have never seen lentil doughnuts but I bet they are awesome!
kittymatti says
You take such lovely pics Lubna..so whatz the secret??
Mangala Bhat says
awsome clicks …:).looks soo soft and perfect 🙂
Renu says
nice pictures…I make these too but without hole…..will try making hole next time, nice tip
munchcrunchandsuch says
wow..that vada with a piece taken off is sure haunting me..this is my most fav thing..I am known to eatas many as 5-8 at one time.
rahin says
am craving for some after looking at the pics 🙂
Preeti Singh says
I love vadas lubna… looks so good and perfect….
Kalai says
Vadai is my favorite!! Yours have come out perfect. You're so right about getting in the kitchen together. With my husband, it's more like dragging him in kicking and screaming! 🙂
Kitchen Flavours says
Thank you Raks Kitchen, Happy Cook, Sush, Varunavi, Parita, Katy, Priya, April Marie, Curry Leaf, HomeCookedOriyaFood, A2Z Vegetarian Cuisine, Smitha, Chakhlere, Khaugiri, Padma, 5 Star Foodie, Sailaja, Pooja, Munchcrunchandsuch, SriLakshmi, Deesha, Rahin, Ashwini, JennDZ, Kittymatti, Mangala, Renu, Juliana, Preeti, Kalai and Veena.
Juliana says
Wow, this is an interesting recipe…lentil doughnut…sounds and looks so delicious…curry, yummie!
Pavithra says
Thats looking so good and tempting… nice clicks too
veena says
Lubna …
Vada looks so beatiful dear ..Perfect shape and the clicks so tempting …
Valarmathi says
Vada looks crispy and yummy. Wonderful pictures.
Priya Narasimhan says
Lubna,your photographs are too good and so are your recipes. I am so glad to have visited your blog.Priya.
Gita says
Lovely pictures Lubna…the vadas looks so crispy and yummy all stacked up 🙂
Hetal says
yumm..i love vada! especially dhai vada!
MamaFaMi says
Gosh, I just loveeeeeee this! Eaten with fresh green chillie! Yummy!
Yasmeen says
mouthwatering delicacy,love them with coconut chutney:)
sangi says
wow!i cant't control…
Preety says
that's a perfect click for the event..and vadas looks so good making me hungry even though i just had my dinner:)
Kitchen Flavours says
Thank you Pavithra, Valarmathi, Priya, Gita, Hetal, Mama, Yasmeen, Sanghi and Preety.
mycookinghut says
Looks good. I also make quite similar snack like this but different texture. I love this south indian snack!
Rosa's Yummy Yums says
What a fabulous speciality! Those doughnuts, together with the chutney looo so scrumptious!Cheers,Rosa
Aysha says
Lovely vadas..I am sure it will taste the best!!Nice clicks.
Doloncookbook says
Wow …. Nice recipe & beautiful pictures .
Ivy says
They look delicious and lovely click as well. Good luck.
Kerstin says
I always destress by cooking too! I've never heard of lentil doughnuts before, but they look amazing – you make it look so easy 🙂
Kitchen Flavours says
Thank you Dolon, Rosa, Ivy, Aysha and Kerstin.
Nazarina A says
This is yummilicious! Who can resist a savory doughnut?!!!
Red Chillies says
Beautiful pictures as always Lubna. It is a treat.
Kitchen Flavours says
Thank you Nazarina and Red Chillies.
nora@ffr says
vat a perfect dish for breafast. love the pics very much. keep it up
Kitchen Flavours says
Thank you Nora.
Fearless Kitchen says
This looks really delicious! It's a really interesting way to eat lentils.
Kitchen Flavours says
Thank you Fearless Kitchen.
Aisha Jameel says
wow !! i love wadas and the pics look so tempting 🙂 thanks so much for stopping by … i'm following you now , i would be really glad if you follow my blog as well @ http://kitchensojourn.blogspot.com 🙂 thx