Kalmi Vade (Fried Lentil Fingers)

Very good appetizer, made by deep frying ground spiced Bengal Gram and Skinned Black Gram.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Bengal Gram (Chana Dal)
• 1 cup skinned Black Gram (Dhuli Urad Dal)
• 1 tbsp ginger grated
• 2 green chilies finely chopped
• 2 tbsp cilantro leaves finely chopped
• 5-6 Black peppercorns crushed
• 1 tsp red crushed chili
• 1 tsp coriander seeds crushed
• 1 tsp fennel seeds crushed
• Pinch of asafetida
• Salt to taste
• Oil for deep frying

Method:

• Soak Bengal Gram and Black Gram separately for 3-4 hours and grind to a coarse paste separately.
• Now mix the pastes and all ingredients, except the oil for frying.
• With wet hands take some dal mix and make a 3” large round Patty (disc like shape).
• Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat. When oil is hot, add the vada (Patty), turn and fry until pale golden.
• Remove vada and drain the excess oil on absorbent kitchen paper towel.
• Repeat making and deep frying vadas (Patties) until all the mixture is used up. You can fry more than one vada at a time.
• Keep aside to cool.
• Now cut each vada (Patty) into ½-inch thick slices (fingers).
• Reheat the oil and fry the fingers (slices) until golden and crisp.
• Sprinkle some chat masala and serve with green chutney or ketchup.