Vada Kootucurry

Vada kootu curry is a spicy vegetarian curry made with Vadas.  It is urad dal/black gram, soaked and made into a paste, fried and added to a  spicy potato and coconut stew. It is made and served during Sadhyas in southern part of Kerala. It is different from the Kootu curry of Northern Kerala  were veggies like yam and plantains are used along with chick peas. You can use uzhunnuvada and cut into pieces and make this curry. It is flavorful and tastes delicious, especially these urad dal dumplings which get soaked in aromatic and creamy coconut sauce. Try this recipe,you will surely love it.

Ingredients
For the Vadas
Urad dal- 1/2 cup
Green chilly- 2
Whole pepper- a  few
Salt
Oil for frying

For the gravy
Potato- 2 large
Onion chopped- 1 medium
Ginger and garlic paste- 2 tsp
Kashmiri Chilly powder- 1 1/2 tsp
 Coriander powder-2 tsp
Pepper powder- 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/3 tsp
Garam Masala- 3/4  tsp
Coconut Milk thick 3/4 cup
Coconut milk thin- 1 1/3 cup

For tempering
Curry leaves
Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
Urud dal- 1 tsp
Oil

To make the vadas
Soak black gram for 4 hours and strain.Grind into a fine paste without adding water.
Add chopped chilly, whole pepper and salt and mix well.
Note:This is optional,it is to enhance flavor.You can just mix in salt and fry.
Heat oil in a pan and take small spoon full of batter and drop little by little into the oil (or shape into tiny vadas). Try to make small ball vadas.Fry in batches till it is golden brown and set aside.

To make the gravy
Heat two tbs of oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds. Next add one tsp urad dal and fry till golden brown. Fry onions, ginger and garlic, curry leaves and green chilly,till there is a nice aroma and onions are golden brown.Add turmeric powder,chilly powder, pepper powder, coriander and garam masala and saute for a few seconds. Add potatoes and thin coconut milk and cook till potatoes are done. Add the thick coconut milk and the fried vadas and simmer for two minutes in low flame.  Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with rice as a side dish for sadhya or as a side dish with parattas.

Try this...
Hope you will all enjoy.