Instructions

• Wash lentils and soak them separately in bowls of tap water overnight.
• Drain lentils, wash again, drain completely. From the toor dal reserve two tablespoons of whole lentils. Grind all and the remaining to a coarse paste. Add water carefully. You want a thick batter almost like a soft dough that can be molded into balls. These are more dense than medu vadas and will take longer to fry.
• Make a smooth paste of coriander seeds, coconut, ginger and red chilli to a smooth paste and stir into the lentil puree.
• Stir in chopped coriander leaves and chopped curry leaves.
• Heat oil in a small tempering spoon or skillet on high heat. Add cumin seeds and cook 60 seconds. Ad asafetida and switch off the flame. Cool and pour over the lentil batter. Stir well.
• Taste for salt.
• Make small 2 inch size balls from the thick dough. Flatten them and lay them on a tray. Keep covered with a dry cloth.
• Heat 2 inches of oil in small wok or kadai on high heat.
• When oil is hot but not smoking lower flame to medium.
• Drop one fritter in the oil and cook until golden. Taste for salt and doneness. Adjust.
• Repeat with remaining dough.
• Serve hot with tomato ketchup or coconut chutney.