Murungai Keerai Masal Vadai / Keerai Vadai

Murungai Keerai MAsala Vadai Recipe. Another week of Blogging Marathon started from today and for this week I am gonna share some yummy Evening snacks/Tiffin recipes. First comes the very famous South Indian Tea Time snack ~ Masal Vadai / Paruppu Vadai with Murungai keerai/Drumstick leaves. After a while I made some deep fried snacks for my kids. The really liked My Minty Chickpeas Vada very much and was bugging me to make it again, so for this Blogging Marathon Theme, I decided to make Masal Vadai which is almost similar to Chickpea Vadai with the addition of Murungai Keerai/Drumstick leaves which adds lovely flavor and taste to the masal vadai.

The idea of adding drumstick leaves to the regular masal vadai was given by Nalini. On our regular phone call, told her that I want to make some interesting vadai recipe for blog but I don't know have any idea in mind. That time,  Nalini suggested me to try vadai with Drumstick leaves. But I was not fully convinced since the drumstick leaves will not be available all the time.  

But To my surprise, on the same day evening, V went to Indian grocery while coming back from the office, and didn't asked me for shopping lists or anything I want from the Grocery Store. When he returned home, was so happy to see some 3 packets of fresh Drumstick leaves. I asked myself,  is Telepathy is a real thing? then how He know that I need Drumstick leaves?!  The next day, I tried this yummy n very flavorful Keerai Masal vadai. Thanks Nalini for the idea, really we liked this vadai very much. For a change, this time I tried adding few cloves n cinnamon with the other grinding ingredients, it was so flavorful n it tasted same like the one we get from Street Side shops, Yummy vadas!!! Now to the recipe...

Ingredients

1. Chana Dal or Split Yellow Peas     1 and 1/2 cup (160ml cup)
2. Drumstick Leaves    1 cup or more.
3. Onion   1 medium(finely chopped)
4. Mint leaves    2 sprigs(finely chopped)
5. Coriander leaves/Cilantro     2-3 tbsp(finely chopped)
6. Green chilies       5 no.s
7. Fennel seeds      2 tbsp
8. Garlic    2 cloves
9. Ginger     2" piece
10. Clove     2 no.s
11. Cinnamon    1"stick
12. Salt    to taste
13. Oil    to deep fry

Method

• Soak Channa dal for 3-4 hours. After that drain completely and keep 1-2 tbsp of soaked channa dal aside and use the remaining to grind.
• Then in a blender/processor add green chilies,ginger,garlic,fennel seeds, clove, cinnamon and run for few seconds and then add soaked channa dal and grind it to a coarse paste with very less water, just sprinkle while grinding...that's enough.

• Once done, transfer the ground channa dal mixture to a bowl, then add chopped onions,cilantro mint leaves n drumstick leaves. And add soaked whole channa dal and enough salt.

• Mix everything well and divide it to 15 lemon shaped balls and keep aside.
• Heat oil in a wok for deep frying,when oil gets really hot take a 1lemon sized ball mixture and flatten with palm and carefully drop in to the hot oil, add 3-4 at a time based on your kadai/pan size. fry in medium heat.

• Fry the vada till turn crispy n golden brown on both sides.
• Then remove from the oil n drain it in a paper towel.
• That's it yummy Murungai keerai masal vadai ready. Do repeat the same for all the remaining dal mixture.
• Serve hot with a cup of chai or a bowl of Pasiparuppu Payasam/Vermicelli payasam.

Notes:
Instead of Drumstick leaves you can also use Spinach / Amaranthus leaves etc.
Addition of cloves n cinnamon is purely optional but it gives nice flavorn unique taste to the masal vadai.
I always test the taste n texture of vadai/pakora by frying only one n then after tasting it...adjust salt n spice level will fry in 4-5 for a batch.
If u feel your dal mixture to be runny or with little extra water, add 1-2 tsp or a tbsp of rice flour and adjust the consistency.
Do not keep the ground dal mixture for long time, since it will get sour n while frying vada will also suck more oil.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#17

Also sending it to Srivalli's Kid's delight event happening now @ Vardhini's Cooksjoy and to
Radhika's Lets Cook ~ Kids Special event.