Milagu vadai

Hailing from Namakkal, a town where the 18 feet monolithic Hanuman, famously called Namakkal Anjaneyar stands as our guarding deity, I look up to Anjaneyar for guidance...however small or big the problem is. It may sound ridiculous, but true, I talk to Him, strike bargains...usually offer to make vadais after a session of chants, reading scriptures...and most certainly the wishes are granted.

There was no such bargain stricken at this juncture, though. Recently I wished to read the Sundarakandam and followed a particular protocol of reading the entire chapters in 9 days as ordained therein. On the concluding day I wanted to chant the Hanuman chaleesa and offer the Anjaneyar vadais as neivedhyam.

Usually, I make the fluffy urad dhal vadais. For a change I decided to go about making them as offered in most temples - crisp and thin. The vadais offered in this temple are not like those offered in other temples. They are thick and chewy...but very much in demand by devotees.

Our Anjaneyar will be adorned with a vadaimalai that holds 1008 vadais in all every morning before the abhishekam is performed. A smaller vadaimalai to adorn his folded palms will also be offered. The picture above is that of Anjaneyar in Vennai kaappu alankaram.

The milagu vadai or popularly known as Anjaneyar vadai recipe is as follows.

The recipe makes 15 thin, crunchy vadais.

1/4th cup split black gram

2 teaspoons raw rice

1 teaspoon black pepper corns, whole broken coarsely

Salt to taste

Oil for deep frying

Wash and clean the urad dhal and rice together. Clean until the water runs clear.

Soak them in some water for no longer than half an hour.

Drain the water completely.

Pulse in a mixer jar just to obtain a coarse paste. Usually no water is required to grind this to the required consistency. However, if you are making a larger quantity, you may have to add some water while grinding. But exercise caution. The dhal shall not become a fine paste. The crispness of the vadais depends on the grinding.

Just before removing the jar from the machine, drop the pepper corns and salt and pulse once to blend them.

Transfer the contents to a bowl. Mix them thoroughly with hands.

Keep the oil on the stove for heating.

Wet a clean, thin kitchen towel and squeeze water to retain some dampness. Make small balls of the vadai mix. Pat the balls into thin discs on the damp towel. Make a finger size perforation in the centre.

Gently lift the prepared vadai off the cloth and drop into the hot oil. Drop as many as would fill the oil, but freely move about and get fried. You may keep less oil and proceed making just about three or four at a time.

Take care that the prepared vadais are not exposed to air for long. They tend to brown and also will not be crisp.

Make just about enough to fry one batch and reduce the heat of the oil by the time the next batch is patted.

Once deep fried well on both sides the vadais will be golden brown and very crisp.

If you intend to make the vadai malai, you may make more numbers by increasing the ingredients. Just pass a thick twine through the centres and make a garland.

Susan's MLLA is running the 25th edition @ Siri's corner until the 31st of July and I am sending these to her.