Murungaikai Vadai – Drumstick Lentil Fritters

My Uncle from my native village visited us a week back. His backyard has the tastiest drumsticks I have ever eaten. Very long and plump and the flesh will melt in your mouth. When drumsticks are abundant Amma will settle down for drumstick vadas. Its a rare snack as it takes a long time to prepare but every bite is worth the effort. But we used to get the drumstick abundance only once or twice in a year.

With a cup of tea or coffee these goes well as a snack but can be a great side for kalanda sadam like lemon rice, tomato rice or puliodarai.

Without much ado I am jumping into the recipe now…

Murungaikai vadai

Ingredients:

Drumstick pulp (procedure to take out the pulp follows) – 1 cup (This would require 2-3 feet long and 1-2 inch thick plump fresh drumsticks of 10 nos)

Chana dal – 1.5 cup

Red chillies – 5

Somb – 1 tea spoon

Ginger grated – 1 tea spoon

Salt – as required

Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Peanut oil for deep frying

How to make it ?

Soak the chana dal for 1 hour. Cut the drumstick into 3 inch pieces and boil it in water with a pinch of salt till fork tender. Let it cool. Take one piece of drumstick and open it and using a fork and a spoon holding one end of the drumstick piece with a fork remove the flesh using the spoon.

Repeat till all the flesh is removed. For the above mentioned quantity you will get approximately 1 cup of flesh.

In a mixie grind the soaked chana dal with all other ingredients to a coarse paste. First grind the red chilles, somb, curry leaves to a coarse paste and add the soaked chana dal and operate the mixie in buzz mode for 1 or two times. It will become a coarse paste. Check for salt and adjust accordingly. Now mix the drumstick flesh with this a make a thick batter.

Heat the peanut oil in w wide thick bottom vessel till smoking hot. Take one tablespoon of the batter and drop it in the hot oil. It will flatten a bit on its own and let it fry turning now and then until it becomes golden and crisp. Serve hot as a side for a variety rice or as a snack with tea or coffee!