COOKING HOUR: Keerai vadai recipe, paruppu spinach vadai

Keerai vadai recipe in paruppu vadai, masala vada style. This uses Indian spinach (amaranth leaves) Full video, step by step pictures post.

Always fascinated by the name as well as looks of the keerai vadai I have seen (only seen, never tasted once ). Even I would have seen only few times in person, unclear when and where. But have seen it larger, thinner than masala vada kind of ones and wanted to make something like it.

So when I bought keerai for this week, I thought I should make one kattu keerai (one bunch) vadai. This is south Indian mulai keerai if I am not wrong. You can use siru keerai or arai keerai or even murungai keerai. This is Indian amaranth leaves, not the Palak. For this vada, I recommend only this keerais, not the palak.

Grind coarsely for crispy results and slightly smoother for soft version. While making coarse version, just note you need something for binding. You can either let a little bit of the dal mixture itself to get ground smooth and do this job, or, add something for binding (besan/ gram flour) or rice flour. No extra water to be added for grinding. Just the little moisture in soaked dal or spinach is enough.

How to check if oil is hot enough for frying?

Add a pinch of the prepared vada dough and if it rises immediately, it’s good to go. Make sure to not over heat (until it smokes)

Which oil to use for frying vada?

I use refined sunflower oil as it is light (but don’t re use it for deep frying again). Peanut oil tastes good but it smokes a lot and gives greasy results.

Why my vadai getting dispersed (dissolved) in oil? How to trouble shoot?

The dough is too coarse. It was not ground that the dals are not ground properly to act as binding agent. Use 2 tbsp of besan / gram flour/ kadalai mavu to mix in the batter and try again.

Why my vadai is oily?

This could be because the oil is not hot enough. Increase the oil temperature.
It can also drink more oil if the water content is more.

Why my vadai is crumbly in the sides?

Just flattening the vada is not enough while shaping. Shape the sides so that it binds well in the sides too.

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Keerai vadai recipe in paruppu vadai

Keerai vadai recipe in paruppu vadai, masala vada style. This uses Indian spinach (amaranth leaves) Full video, step by step pictures post.

Course Snack

Cuisine Indian, South Indian

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Soaking time 2 hours

Servings 12 Medium size vadai

Equipments (Amazon Affiliate links)

mixie or food processor

Cup measurements

Ingredients

2 cups chopped keerai Amaranth leaves/ Indian spinach
3/4 cup chana dal
2 tbsp toor dal
2 tbsp urad dal
2 tbsp rice flour
1 onion finely chopped
3 green chillies Minced
1 tbsp ginger Minced
1 tsp fennel seeds powder Or use crushed fennel seeds
Salt as needed
Oil as needed

Instructions

Soaking:

Wash & soak dals together for 2-3 hours.

Cleaning keerai:

Separate keerai (spinach leaves) from the stalk. Clean, wash and drain water completely.
Chop it roughly. It should be fine enough not to interfere the shaping or binding. So make sure to mince in such way.
Measure 2 cups to use in the recipe.

Grinding dal:

Drain water completely by using a metal strainer. Transfer half the amount to the mixie.
Grind using just the pulse options to run for couple of seconds. 3 such pulses will do. Repeat the same for the next batch.
If you have ground right, the dals would have coarsely ground, with little portion blended well smoothly (this helps in binding)

Mixing keerai vadai batter:

Transfer to the mixing bowl. Add finely chopped onion, green chilli minced ginger, fennel seeds powder (or just crush and add if you have seeds), required salt and rice flour.
Mix well. Take a large lemon sized ball and flatten in you palms. Shape the sides.

Cooking:

Heat oil in kadai and once hot, add vadai carefully to it. You can add few more depending on the oil / size of kadai.
Once the bubbles reduce, flip and cook in medium flame after flipping.
If the vada turns golden yellow in colour, drain from oil and remove in a paper towel.
Repeat to finish.

Video

Notes

Grind coarsely for crispy results and slightly smoother for soft version.
While making coarse version, just note you need something for binding.
You can either let a little bit of the dal mixture itself to get ground smooth and do this job, or, add something for binding (besan/ gram flour) or rice flour.
No extra water to be added for grinding. Just the little moisture in soaked dal or spinach is enough.
Cook in medium flame after flipping to ensure cooking from inside.

Keerai vadai/ paruppu keerai vadai method:

Soaking: Wash & soak dals together for 2-3 hours.
Cleaning keerai: Separate keerai (spinach leaves) from the stalk. Clean, wash and drain water completely. Chop it roughly. It should be fine enough not to interfere the shaping or binding. So make sure to mince in such way.
Measure 2 cups to use in the recipe.
Grinding dal: Drain water completely by using a metal strainer. Transfer half the amount to the mixie.
Grind using just the pulse options to run for couple of seconds. 3 such pulses will do. Repeat the same for the next batch.
If you have ground right, the dals would have coarsely ground, with little portion blended well smoothly (this helps in binding)
Mixing the batter:Transfer to the mixing bowl. Add finely chopped onion, green chilli minced ginger, fennel seeds powder (or just crush and add if you have seeds), required salt and rice flour.
Mix well. Take a large lemon sized ball and flatten in you palms. Shape the sides.
Cooking: Heat oil in kadai and once hot, add vadai carefully to it. You can add few more depending on the oil / size of kadai.
Once the bubbles reduce, flip and cook in medium flame after flipping.
If the vada turns golden yellow in colour, drain from oil and remove in a paper towel. Repeat to finish.