Go Back
Vada Sambar & Chutney
Print Pin

Vada Sambar & Chutney

Vada Sambar & Chutney is breakfast combo very popular in southern parts of India, where ground lentil paste is deep-fried and served with lentil curry and chutneys.
Course Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine Indian
Keyword Fried Snack, Lentil, Urad Dal
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 30 minutes
Soaking Time 4 hours
Total Time 5 hours 30 minutes
Servings 4
Author Shanaz Rafiq

Ingredients

For Vada:

  • 1 cup urad dal black gram lentil
  • 1 small green chili finely chopped
  • 1 piece of ginger finely chopped (1/2 inch)
  • 6 curry leaves finely chopped
  • ¼ cup coriander leaves finely chopped
  • 3 cups cooking oil required for deep frying
  • ½ tsp salt

For Sambar (cook all in a pressure cooker):

  • ½ cup toor dal /pigeon pea lentil washed
  • 1 medium onion roughly chopped
  • 1 medium tomato chopped
  • 2 green chili chopped
  • 6 curry leaves
  • ¼ tsp turmeric powder or less
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 cups of water

Other Ingredients for Sambar:

  • 4 tbsp of sambar powder any brand
  • ½ cup tamarind soaked water
  • 2 drum sticks boiled optional
  • 1 small potato cut in cubes & boiled
  • 1 carrot cut into small pieces & boiled
  • 1 cup diced brinjal
  • 2 tbsp grated jaggery optional
  • ½ cup coriander leaves finely chopped

Instructions

For making Vadas:

  • Wash and soak urad dal for 4 hours.
  • Place half of the soaked dal into the grinding jar and add 2 to 3 tbsp of water. Grind to a smooth batter using very little water. Do not add too much water at once. The batter should be dry and not flowy. Grind until the batter is smooth and fluffy. Remove from the jar and repeat the same with another half of the soaked dal. Remove the batter into a large mixing bowl.
  • Add chopped green chili, chopped ginger, chopped coriander leaves, chopped curry leaves, and salt to the batter and mix well.
  • Set the batter aside for 1 hour.
  • Heat oil in a kadai for deep frying. With wet hands, place a spoonful of batter on your palm and make hole or dent with the thumb and slide the batter into the hot oil carefully.
  • If you find this step difficult, just take a spoonful of batter and drop into the oil. Only the shape will differ, the taste will remain the same.
  • Fry vada on medium-low flame for 5 minutes on each side.
  • Remove vadas and place it on a kitchen tissue.
  • Serve hot with sambar and chutney.

For making Sambar:

  • Once the dal is cooked in a pressure cooker, open the lid and mash slightly. Add all the cooked vegetables of your choice.
  • Place it on heat and cook.
  • Add sambar powder, tamarind juice, and jaggery. Check salt and sourness and adjust accordingly.
  • Bring to a slow boil and finally add chopped coriander.
  • Serve hot with Vada, Idli or Dosa.