A classic South Indian comfort food! Crispy, savory lentil fritters (vadas) are soaked in a hot, tangy, and aromatic tomato-tamarind soup (rasam). It's the perfect combination of textures and flavors in every spoonful.
Prep30 min
Cook45 min
Soak120 min
Servings4
Serving size: 1 serving(2 vadas and 1 cup rasam)
401cal
16gprotein
47gcarbs
Ingredients
1 cup Urad Dal (Skinned and split black gram lentils)
2 pcs Green Chillies (Finely chopped)
1 inch piece Ginger (Peeled and roughly chopped)
1 tsp Black Peppercorns (Whole, for vada batter)
1 sprig Curry Leaves (Finely chopped, for vada batter)
Soul-satisfying rasam vada, warm and tangy – a gut-friendly treat that warms you from within!
This south_indian dish is perfect for breakfast. With 400.73 calories and 16.1g of protein per serving, it's a nutritious choice for your meal plan.
18gfat
(Or a lemon-sized ball of tamarind soaked in 1 cup hot water)
2 pcs Tomatoes (Medium-sized, finely chopped)
0.25 cup Toor Dal (Cooked until very soft and mashed)
0.5 tsp Turmeric Powder
2 tsp Rasam Powder (Store-bought or homemade)
0.5 tsp Jaggery (Optional, to balance flavors)
4 cup Water (For making rasam)
1 tbsp Ghee (For tempering)
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
0.5 tsp Cumin Seeds
2 pcs Dried Red Chillies (Broken into halves)
2 tbsp Coriander Leaves (Freshly chopped, for garnish)
Instructions
1
Prepare the Vada Batter
Wash the urad dal thoroughly under running water until the water runs clear. Soak it in ample water for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight.
Drain the water completely. Transfer the dal to a grinder or blender along with chopped ginger and green chillies.
Grind to a thick, smooth, and fluffy paste, adding 1 teaspoon of ice-cold water at a time only if absolutely necessary. The batter must be very thick to prevent oily vadas.
Transfer the batter to a large bowl. Add salt, whole black peppercorns, chopped curry leaves, and hing.
Using your hand or a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the batter in a circular motion for 5-7 minutes. This incorporates air, making the vadas light and fluffy. To test for readiness, drop a small dollop of batter into a bowl of water; it should float immediately.
2
Cook the Rasam
In a medium-sized pot, combine the tamarind paste, chopped tomatoes, turmeric powder, rasam powder, salt, and 4 cups of water.
Bring the mixture to a vigorous boil over medium-high heat. Then, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes. This allows the flavors to meld and cooks off the raw taste of the tamarind and spices.
Stir in the cooked and mashed toor dal and the optional jaggery. Mix well until the dal is fully incorporated.
Let the rasam simmer for another 5 minutes. Keep it hot while you fry the vadas.
3
Prepare the Tempering (Tadka)
Heat ghee in a small pan (tadka pan) over medium heat. Once hot, add the mustard seeds and let them splutter completely.
Add the cumin seeds, broken dried red chillies, hing, and the sprig of curry leaves. Be careful as the leaves will splutter.
Sauté for about 30 seconds until the chillies darken slightly and the mixture is fragrant.
Immediately pour this hot tempering over the prepared rasam. Stir gently and garnish with half of the chopped coriander leaves. Cover the pot to trap the aromas.
4
Fry the Vadas
Heat the oil in a kadai or deep pan over medium heat. To check if the oil is ready, drop a tiny bit of batter into it; it should sizzle and rise to the surface steadily.
Dip your hands in a bowl of water. Take a lemon-sized portion of the batter onto your wet palm, flatten it slightly, and make a hole in the center with your thumb. This helps the vada cook evenly.
Gently slide the vada into the hot oil from the side of the pan. Fry in batches of 3-4, ensuring not to overcrowd the pan.
Fry for 3-4 minutes on each side, turning occasionally, until they are golden brown and crisp. The flame should be medium throughout to ensure they cook through.
Remove the fried vadas with a slotted spoon and drain them on a wire rack or paper towel.
5
Assemble and Serve
For extra soft vadas, soak the freshly fried vadas in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes, then gently squeeze out the excess water between your palms.
Place 2 vadas in each serving bowl.
Pour a generous amount of the hot rasam over the vadas, making sure they are fully submerged.
Let them soak for at least 10-15 minutes to absorb the flavors and soften completely.
Garnish with the remaining fresh coriander leaves and a drop of ghee if desired. Serve hot.