Moringa vadacurry

Vadacurry is Chennai’s popular dish which is served with Idli for breakfast in restaurants. Vadacurry is prepared by making vadas using lentils which is added to the gravy. Vadacurry is so rich, yummy and goes well with idli, rice or even dosa. Flavour is amazing with cinnamon and cloves. Coconut is ground and added at the end to make it thick. Vadacurry is packed with nutrients and its a great hit in our place and in our home too. I have added moringa leaves to vada. Vada separately tasted good and with gravy it was awesome. Do try it for your family without fail and enjoy it! Please check for more tips in note given below.

⏲️PREP TIME : 30 minutes

⏲️COOK TIME : 40 minutes

🥘CUISINE : Indian

🍲COURSE : Sidedish

🍴YIELD : 6 servings

INGREDIENTS REQUIRED :

Channa dal – 1 cup

Moong dal – 1/2 cup

Drumstick leaves – 1hand full

Big onion – 2 no.

Country tomatoes – 2 no.

Cinnamon – 1″

Cloves – 4 no.

Cardamom – 1no.

Bay leaf – 1 no.

Saunf – 1& 1/2 tsp

Green chilli – 2 no.

Ginger garlic paste -1 tbsp

Chilli powder – 1& 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder – 1 tbsp

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

Coconut – 2tbsp

METHOD :

Soak channa dal and moong dal for an hour and drain it completely.

In a mixer jar add the drained dal, 1 long green chilli, saunf, salt and grind it course.

To the ground mixture add the washed, drained moringa leaves and mix well.

Make small balls or flat tikkis and deep fry them in oil.

Fry them crispy and keep it aside.

Heat oil in a wok, temper cinnamon, clove, cardamom and bay leaf.

Saute green chilli, ginger garlic paste and finely chopped onions.

Boil 3 glasses of water on the other side.

Add the red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and mix well untill raw smell goes off.

Now add in the chopped tomatoes.

Saute the tomatoes well till mushy.

Add the boiling water to the wok.

Allow it to boil well.

Now add the ground coconut paste, salt and give it a boil.

Meanwhile break the vadas into small pieces.

Finally add the vadas to the gravy.

Allow it to boil.

Now the vadacurry is done serve it immediately.

NOTE :

Serve vadacurry immediately otherwise the vadas absorb the moisture in gravy resulting in no gravy. In that case you may add hot boiling water to the gravy with little salt (if required).

Always keep vadas separately. Only at the time of serving you may add vadas to gravy and give it a boil and serve.

You may blend cashews and poppy ( khus khus) seeds with coconut to make the gravy even more rich.

You may skip the moringa leaves if you don’t have.

Vada can be made of either channa dal or moong dal. I have used both.

Vadas can also be steamed in idli steamer instead of frying.