A community for foodies, exploring the world of wellness through vegetarian food. Weekly low carb recipes, interviews with experts, unsolicited advice and recommendations. From the author of The Vegetarian Reset.
We continue this South India showcase this week with a SNEAK PEEK at two recipes from my upcoming cookbook! Happy Pongal to those celebrating!
Masala Vada(click link to view recipe and download recipe card)
photo credit: Alex Shytsman
Which came first - the falafel or the masala vada? Hard to know, but these crispy chana dal fritters (usually) have my vote! I converted my mother-in-law's delicious recipe (traditionally deep-fried) to an air-fryer/oven version. The trick to getting the vadas evenly crispy is to mix in the oil with the batter, rather than spraying them on the outside! A high-protein, high-fiber and more importantly lip-smacking bite to go with your cuppa of choice!
Today marks the start of Pongal, the 3-day harvest festival of South India. To learn more about this festival, click here to view my father-in-law’s blog!
I take my comfort food very seriously, particularly when it comes to this namesake dish, and have been delighted with the cauliflower rice version. Ven (white) Pongal is a homely mixture of rice and moong dal (like khichadi) that gets elevated to extraordinary by a spectacular tadka (tempering) of spices in ghee. I pair it with my mother-in-law’s tomato chutney, which is to die for—you will want to make a big jar of it and slather it over everything. Use any neutral oil of your choice in place of the ghee to make this recipe vegan. For a Pongal feast, make this dish along with the masala vada!
Masala Vada and Ven Pongal
Pongal and Vada combo - mmm. My favorite whenever I travel to Tamil Nadu in India.