It was in Karaikudi in the heart of Chettinadu, in Southern Tamil Nadu that I attempted to describe a vadai or vada to my American friends who had tagged along with me for a food trail in the state. Sandwiched in the arid belt between Pudukottai and Ramanathapuram are the 70-odd villages and towns that make up Chettinadu. The easiest comparison for a vada is a doughnut. Just like a doughnut, the vada has a hole in the centre and it's deep-fried. It's also a breakfast staple in many parts of South India. But there are a couple of major differences.
The most obvious difference is the batter. A typical medu (for soft) vada is crafted with urad dal while a doughnut uses flour dough. A vada is usually a savoury dish that's eaten with sambar or chutney. At least that's what we all think. That's if you've not been to Chettinadu and have tried a special from the region called a kalkandu vadai or a sweet vadai.
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Weddings are an elaborate affair in the Chettinadu region. The culinary journey does not stop with breakfast and lunch. There's an elaborate tea menu as the bride and groom leave for the groom's house. Aadi Kumayam (Lentil and rice halwa) and the Rangoon Puttu are traditional favourites. And then there's a dinner at the groom's house to welcome the bride where a long list of heavy snacks, savouries and sweets are served. It was at one of these dinners that I first tried the Kalkandu vadai.
Kalkandu refers to rock candy or mishri in Hindi. This unique twist to a vadai is made with powdered rock candy and sometimes served with rock candy for its unique textures and extra sugary appeal. This was an easier version of the vadai for my American friends to comprehend and draw parallels with a classic American doughnut. Except it's not a dish that's widely served across Tamil Nadu or South India. While it's best known as a Chettinad Kalkandu vadai and served during special occasions and festivals, I discovered that it's also possible to add crushed jaggery (instead of sugar candy) to the recipe.
Recipe - Sweet Vadai
Ingredients:
- 1 cup urad dal
- 1/4 cup crushed jaggery
- 1 cup sugar for making sugar syrup
- A pinch of salt
- 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
- Oil (for deep frying)
- Water for the sugar syrup
Method:
- Wash and soak the urad dal for about two hours.
- Grind the dal to a coarse thick paste without adding water.
- Add the crushed jaggery and grind until the batter gets fluffy.
- Make single-string consistency syrup with sugar and water. Add cardamom powder to the syrup. Add a pinch of salt to balance the sweetness.
- Make balls out of the batter (the size of a lemon). Flatten it and make a hole at the centre with a finger.
- Drop slowly into hot oil and fry the vadai on both sides on a medium flame until golden brown.
- Remove with a vadai strainer and dip them in the sugar syrup for about 3-5 minutes.
- Remove the vadais from the syrup, transfer them to a plate and serve hot.
- You could sprinkle some sugar candy (kalkandu/mishri) if you'd like.
You will notice that the recipe is similar to the traditional medu vadai (you can try this recipe at home too).
Also Read: 5 Easy Tips To Make Irresistible Sooji Vada Every Time
Photo Credit: iStock
Recipe - Medu Vada/Ulundhu Vada
Ingredients:
- 1 cup whole urad dal
- 2 green chillies finely chopped
- 1/2 cup onion finely chopped
- 1/2 tbsp ginger finely chopped
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns
- 1/2 tbsp cumin seeds
- One sprig of curry leaves finely chopped
- A pinch of asafoetida
- Salt (to taste)
- Cold water (as required)
- Oil for deep frying
Method:
- Wash & soak urad dal for 2 hours.
- Add urad dal in small quantities while grinding. Sprinkle cold water now at regular intervals as you grind the batter till it gets fluffy.
- Transfer the batter to a bowl, and add the chopped onions, green chillies, ginger, black peppercorns, curry leaves, salt and asafoetida.
- Stir well and keep aside.
- Heat oil in a shallow pan for deep frying.
- Moisten your hands and make a small balls of the batter with hole in the middle and drop it in oil.
- Fry in medium flame till both sides turn crisp and golden brown.
- Serve hot with chutney or sambar.