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)

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!

Ven Pongal with Tomato Chutney (click link to view recipe and download recipe card)

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!

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