Wednesday, July 28, 2010

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.












29 comments:

  1. Nice post ..love the readup and hmm thinking if ever I had this vadai...looks simple though....thanks for sharing

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  2. Hey Priti, that was the quickest comment thus far...Thanks sweetie:)

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  3. Very nice post, vadai looks amazing!!

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  4. Hannuar vadai, I love it. I was waiting to get it after vadamalai offered to god my patti. She cooks well. Nice vadai and post.

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  5. Every time we did the Vada mala offering in the hanuman temple, I used to eagerly wait for the puja to get over so that I can munch these peppery vadais. This is a 'Divine' recipe, thanks for sharing. I really don't have to wait for the next Vada Mala offering.

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  6. these vadas looks so crispy n delicious ...yummy yum
    hanumanji 's deity looks so beautiful n divine ...thankq dear for sharing all these with us

    Satya
    http://www.superyummyrecipes.com

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  7. Crispy milagu vadais makes me drool, looks yummy..

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  8. I think the key in making of the vada is soaking for less time and grinding coarsely... thanks for sharing:)

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  9. Hi lata, when I read the post milagu vadai I knew I had eaten this somewhere!!, of course in my house when the cooking contractors but No! I remember distinctly I have eaten this yes this temple I have been here when I did my south India tour, Fabulous temple and lovely vadas!!, I think I have eaten in some other temple I can't remember where? :(, thanks for the lovely clicks of the vadas and the lovely Anjaneyar!, Can you send me a photo pleaseeeee.... of the diety! Kaiyadathu kumbudam pole irukku!

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  10. my fav vada.. looks sooo perfect dear.. really mouth watering recipe.. thanks for sharing !!

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  11. Haha , I have a similar post in my draft. I asked my neighbour once and she has given a different tip on that. Hope it works out. Nice picture of Anju. He is our family's favourite and lovely crispy vadais as I fall for vadais.

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  12. Nice post.....Vadai looks yummmmmm!

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  13. lata mam! i too prepare this vada in the same way! its yummy!

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  14. I loved the sight of both the god n vadai.... I remember there is a anjanya swami in blore n there they have vade seva nd yeh those fluffed vadas.... :)
    Wud love to taste this :)

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  15. Nice post..cant wait to get my hands on your daughters post..

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  16. as i always say,when i cross alamelumangapuram to go to anjaneya temple u will be remembered..d pic of lord anjaneya is simply divine.. n milagu vadai looks crispy n reminds me to go to the temple to get a few...if possible i wld have grabbed the ones posted...

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  17. I have tasted these thin vadas only after coming to TN. In Kerala, even for vada malai, we make the usual urad dal gundu vadai.
    I love this thin, crispy version.....yours looks very inviting.

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  18. Just the other day, me and my MIL were talking abt these kind of vadais and here it is. I will remember this when I make vada malai for Anjaneyar, next time.

    I loved the vennai kaapu so tastefully decorated. Lovely click, Akka.

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  19. Never tried this type of vada looks delicious nad crispy too.

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  20. Lata,

    I'm from Salem ...and this Anjaneya has always been a part of us too. Even now, everytime we travel to India, we visit and do a puja here. I can almost close my eyes and feel the taste of that vada in my mouth. We always bought a lot of vadais back home and my dad would love them soaked in sambar. Milagu sambar vadai. When we were kids, we would run away from this vadai as it was to hard to eat and spicy too. But, now I miss these vadais and look forward to eating them.

    These alangarams are indeed very beautiful when you see them in person. Even among the crowds and noise, there is a lot of peace when you just sit there and pray. Thank you for your post - you took me back home this morning.

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  21. Thank you all!
    Shanthi, please post them soon...would love to have a tip.
    Valli, I learnt this recipe from Alamelumangapuram temple only...they used to have the grinder out and one day as the man was grinding, i asked for the recipe and got it. Mylapore Saibaba temple also has this for prasadham sometimes.
    Jayasri, sure will mail you whatever photo is in my album and next visit will take pics specifically for you.
    Mriganayani, I know our Anju's vadais are very hard to bite into, even today. I think they powder the urad dhal and mix in a thick batter to make them. But whenever there is excess there are takers for them. Amma packs them for all my aunt's neighbours and my sister's colleagues.
    I totally agree with you on the peace that comes about sitting there.

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  22. Lata I am very big anjanayar bhakth right from my childhood days and he has blessed me well.Your vadais r very tempting and perfect.I had also put up a post on Hanuman vadai quite sometime back.I have a small copper hanuman at home and I make milagu vadai and make a malai and offer as a neivedhiyam.You can also check my version of the vadais whenever u r free.

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  23. Thanks Indhu! I shall check the post in your blog..sorry that i have missed it until now:(

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  24. Lovely post Lataji.. Those vadamalais look tempting.. I too have been trying to resume Sundaragandam parayanam.. but after marriage life seems to be occupied with a lot of events..Kudos to the patience to have read all 9 gandams in one day..

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  25. I have never seen these thin crispy vadais, Lata. In our family and with friends we make the regual uzhundhu vadai for vadai maalai chaartharuthu.
    I should try these some time. The thought of crisp crunchy uzhundu vadai is tempting.:)

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  26. Lovely post, enjoyed the read! The vadais look tempting, I have never tried making vadai this way, usually it is the regular style ulundhu vadai !

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  27. My hubby loves this very much.Bookmarked it.will try this weekend ..thnx mam :)

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Hello,
Welcome and thank you for taking time to drop by.
I appreciate your valuable comments and tips.
I sincerely hope to improve with them.
Hope we shall interact often.
Thanks once again,
Lata Raja.