Land Ahoy!

Masala Wada/ अंबोडे (crisp savoury lentil dumplings) 

“विकाराबाद आलं !” (We’ve reached Vikarabad) was a cry perhaps as dear to us as “Land Ahoy” to a weary sailor, for it marked a high point of the day-long train trip home from holidays.  

The journey till this point was arduous as we headed home, with laden feet and a heavy heart, after spending a memorable summer vacation with my maternal grandparents, cousins, uncles and aunts, stray dogs and cats that were house guests of the season - and mangoes!

Not that the train journey wasn’t fun – we monkeyed around climbing up and down the bunks, gingerly testing and almost pulling the stop chain, trying the switches of the quaintly funny Cinni fans and lights, sliding the windowpanes and shutters up and down, much to Mother’s chagrin.

But after a while we would tire of these games and begin to feel cooped up in the narrow gauge carriage, wooden bunks biting our bones, bits of coal from the steam engine fume plumes getting into our eyes, and the swaying when you closed your eyes would go away only after a whole day’s or night’s rest.

The only highlights so far (till Vikarabad, I mean, in case you lost me) would be the hot and sweet instant coffee Mother had bought us before boarding the train at Latur Road station, which was located many miles out of town and warranted a long bumpy bus ride. What was so great about coffee? Well, instant coffee was quite a novelty still, and (good) kids like us were not allowed coffee or tea.

The other highlight would be the lovely lunch Mai, our grandmother, had packed for us. This energetic lady would get up at 3 am to make our breakfast and pack lunch and dinner to last us on the journey. It would be fun to lay out our travelling lunch, open umpteen containers of the towering tiffin carrier and other sundry boxes of all sizes and shapes to discover the goodies.

धपाटी (theplas), तिखट मिठाच्या पुऱ्या ( masala pooris ) चुरम्याचे लाडू (churma laddu) soft chapatis and बटाट्याच्या काचऱ्या ची भाजी (crisp stir fried potatoes) गुळ-तूप, तूप-साखर (jaggery and ghee or sugar and ghee spreads) various pickles, hand pounded दाण्याची चटणी (peanut chutney)  and दहीभात (curd and rice) were usual, but each time they tasted better than before.

Now, we weren’t greedy kids, but somehow there is this inexplicable attraction for the forbidden – in this case the snacks and sweets - gul poli, gul-papdi cha ladu, chivda, sakhrparyachya vadya - Mai had packed for us in plastic bags and boxes in a wicker picnic basket covered with a tea towel and jealously guarded by Mother. Eat the fresh food now and keep the snacks for later - some sane but disappointing advice from her.

We would doze off after lunch, to Mother’s relief. To grant it to her, she had patiently answered all our questions so far (e.g. Do air planes also have toilets just like trains?) kept her temper when we whinged for the bright colourful lollies and peanuts from the vendor’s basket or squabbled over who would read which comics, scolded us for mimicking beggars singing and playing castanets, diligently, and we thought paranoidly,  told us not to touch this and that…

Waking up as we neared this town of Vikarabad, we would sight the huge rocky boulders, signboards that were now in Telugu and note excitedly that red buses gave way to green ones and black auto rickshaws of Maharashtra became yellow.

This point marked the entry into our home state Andhra Pradesh. It meant most of our journey was done. 

Sometime during the nap, our kid hearts had gotten over the sweet sorrow of parting and we woke up looking forward to going home, going back to school, buying new books, uniforms, school bags and shoes…

And the cry “विकाराबाद आलं !” revved up our spirits – for the ultimate reason – we would be allowed to buy the most delicious masala wadas at this railway station. Yes, buying food wrapped in old newspaper from vendors was a very exotic experience for us - and buying street food that met Mother’s strict quality control was an unbeatable and somehow unbelievable bonus.

As the train drew into the station with a little shed, we would fretfully look out for the vendor with the singsong nasal voice, wondering each year if it would be the same guy as the previous year, and if it was, would remember us…

Equally fretful were decisions about how many wadas to buy, with Mother giving in with each passing year in deference to our growing appetites and girths and quite simply, to our growing up. This was vindication of the yearlong misery of longing for these delectable morsels on roadside stalls and restrained by the strict prohibition.

Needless to say, the wadas - the most delicious, crisp, crunchy and tasty ones ever, would be gone even before the train left the station, but sated and happy, we would be too busy going at Mother -

“ Pleeeease, can I not get Dada’s hand-me-downs this year!”

" I need to wear pants from this year on..."

"Says who?"

"Says me.."

Masala Wada

The masala wada is a very popular savoury snack of South India and comes with many variations – with fennel seeds, with spring onions, with dill or mint, with turmeric or without, with or without garlic and ginger, round and flat ones, or round balls. Some use only chana dal, while others use a mix of chana dal, urad and moong dal.

As "Gateaux Piments" they are very popular in Mauritius, and as "Dal Wadas" they make very popular Iftar food in the Middle East.  

Marathi/Kannada versions go by the name ambode and are made especially for a festive meal. 

This is my sixth post in support of my friend Preeti Deo's event  A humble giveaway to fight against plagiarism.

And I am dedicating this post to the wonderful ladies in this story of my life- Mai and Aai! 

Ingredients

2 cups chana dal (Garbanzo beans)

½ cup urad dal (Black Gram)

½ cup moong dal (Green Gram)

1 large onion or 1 cup chopped green onions

1 tbsp chopped garlic 
1 tbsp chopped ginger

8-10 curry leaves

2-3 green chillies

2 whole red chillies (or more)

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 cup cleaned green coriander

Salt to taste

Oil to deep fry

Method

Pick, wash and soak the dals separately for a few hours.  Set aside a handful of soaked chana dal.  Peel and roughly cut the onion. Combine all the ingredients except the oil in a food processor bowl and grind coarsely using little or no water. Grinding in a food processor or onion chopper is necessary, as it allows you to grind without any water, unlike a mixer/grinder.

Remove the ground mixture in large bowl and adjust the tastes. Add the whole soaked chana dal. 

Try to shape a wada like a pattie with flattened sides in the palm of your hand. If the mixture doesn’t hold together, add a little besan (chickpea flour).

Heat oil for in a wok or kadhai. Test the batter by introducing a small amount pressed into a tight ball. If the mixture disintegrates in the oil, add some more besan.

Okay – let me gloat- I didn’t have to add any besan, as I ground the mixture without adding any water.

Make equal sized patties with thicker centres and thinner edges, and deep fry them on medium heat till golden and crisp. Remove on kitchen paper and serve hot with a chutney or sauce. 

In the spoor of the sprouts

Sprouted Methi Pulao

I have this folder called “scraps” – that’s where I put all the random pieces, paragraphs, phrases and sentences that do not string together or fit with the scheme or story, but clearly symbolise sprouts of ideas that have germinated in my mind. They delight me with their appearance or occurrence, and it’s sad I can’t use them instantly.

As usual, prudence prevails, even in writing. 

I put these words away. Every time I am stuck for ideas, analogies, thoughts, metaphors and all those ornaments and baubles that come to a writer’s aid, I rummage through this folder. More often than not, I find something that’s so totally worth the transplanting and nurturing into a seedling.

Look what I discovered in the scraps - in the spoor of sprouts to make my fifth contribution to my friend Preeti Deo's Ruchira Giveaway Event and join in her fight against plagiarism!

A writing plan, circa April 2012, the early days of writing – er- well, the before and after life of the recipes, delighting many readers, while trying the patience and tolerance of many more others…. 

2 April 2012

Cleaning the pantry the other day and found a jar full of methi (fenugreek) seeds at the back of a shelf …realised they had been there for a few years, surviving each year’s clean-up by looking bright and cheerful, or simply hidden (be careful – this may give the wrong impression) and had to be used up. Wondering what to do with them… don’t make pickles very often… may be I should plant them? Oh, but they look so desiccated… they won’t take root…

Hang on - remembered eating a pulao Mother used to make with sprouted methi seeds. The memory of the distinctive and savoury flavour and grain of the pulao leads me by hand… no recipe to refer to, but the flavour, aroma and texture guide me… (too many dots! Dotty!)

Methi or fenugreek…cultivated and used widely in India, North Africa, South America, China…very medicinal and are used to control diabetes, high cholesterol and arthritis… seeds are given to new mothers to enhance lactation and are also used as an aphrodisiac! (maybe they can Google this…)

Did you know fenugreek is used to artificially flavour maple syrup? 

Sprouted methi seeds are very tasty, piquantly bitter and very nutritious.

To sprout methi seeds, soak seeds in water and when fully soaked, drain and wrap into a bundle in a muslin cloth for a day or two. You may need to moisten the cloth a few times. These seeds sprout easily, even the very old methi seeds I had soaked surprisingly sprouted very well - amazing Mother Nature!

Used some while pressure cooking dal and then made the dal with chopped cauliflower parattas, onions, tomatoes and lots of garlic. Also added some sprouted methi to the dosa batter!

A good way to finish the old stock of methi – and sprouting a new recipe. The whole house was filled with the aroma of methi cooking. My girls returning home as the pulao was cooking, reported the aroma had wafted down till outside the front door - love this way to welcome them home after a hard day.

And now to dig for the photo -  will have to make this pulao soon to take some real/better pictures...

Sprouted Methi Pulao

Ingredients

3 cups basmati rice, soaked in water for 30 minutes

1 cup methi sprouts, washed thoroughly and drained

1 medium onion

1 cup evenly cut mixed vegetables (carrots, beans, potato- don’t clutter it too much)

½ cup peanuts (optional)

1 teaspoon garlic paste

1 teaspoon ginger paste

1 or 2 slit whole green chillies (if you can tolerate the chillies – the more the better!)

1 pinch shahjeera (caraway seeds)

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

2 cloves

2 inch piece of cinnamon

1 teaspoon lemon juice (or more)

2 tablespoon oil

1 tablespoon ghee

Boiling water – 4 – 5 cups

Method

In a handi or a pot heat the oil. Add the cumin, shajeera, cinnamon and cloves. When they splutter add the chillies and then the onions. Sauté the onions a bit and add the ginger-garlic paste. Add the sprouted methi and peanuts and sauté well for a few minutes. Add the rest of the vegetables and after a few seconds add the drained soaked rice. Toast the rice in the mixture till all grains and vegetables are coated in the mixture. Add 4 cups of boiling water first and salt to taste. Add lemon juice. Let it boil for about 5 minutes. When the water starts to reduce check how much more water is required and add accordingly. Use boiling water. (When rice is soaked for 30 minutes, it needs less water to cook).

Cover and cook on low heat for a few more minutes and then dot the surface of the rice with the ghee. Switch off the heat when almost done and let it rest covered for 10 minutes. The rice will cook perfectly with the latent heat.

Fluff the rice with a fork and serve hot with a raita or plain dahi, papad and pickle.

This pulao is a meal in itself.

All for the wada

Baked Medu Wada

I have this quest for the most perfect wada – and feel I am far from achieving it…

The best wada is not only full of the flavours of urad, cumin, pepper, red and/or green chilli, hing, curry leaves and bits of coconut but is also crisp, with a crumby, grainy crust and a soft but spongy centre. Even the glib oiliness is actually very pleasant and ensures a smooth eating experience.

The touchstone test or the nadi- pariksha of the best wada is that when hold one in your hands and bite into it- it should leave grainy golden crumbs of the batter on your fingers!

The hole in the wada is also important, ostensibly for aesthetic purposes (the wada isn’t whole without a hole) or religious reasons (in certain religious denominations, Lord Hanuman is offered a string of wadas if He grants people their specific wishes). 

I have often looked at strings of beautifully formed wadas on the idol in the old temple in Muscat city, and secretly and guiltily wondered if they were going to distribute the Prasad soon…

But the main reason for the hole in the wada is to allow the oil to reach right into the heart of the goodness and cook it to perfection.

It’s been years since I ate the wada of my dreams, but I am ever optimistic.  I am also a King Bruce when it comes to hope, perseverance, patience and zeal – all for the wada!

A week ago I experimented with a baked dahi wada. But it had to be perfected and I also wanted to see if this method of cooking wadas could be replicated for the medu wada.

I am happy to report that the baked medu wadas were a success! But I must say, the ones without onion remained crisp for longer...

I must thank the energetic and talented chef Sanjay Thumma for his valuable and sensible tips!

1. Use a food processor (not a mixer) to grind the dal with as less water as possible. The food processor action allows aeration of the batter, quite like the traditional grinding stone with the round batta - we used to call this the rubbu-gundu!

Since I baked the wadas, I was able to add a little more water, which allowed better movement and therefore, better aeration.  Also, add all the herbs and spices in the grinding, so you won’t have large bits and pieces sticking to the batter to weigh it down.

I also discovered that a slightly loose batter allowed the wadas to rise more effectively in the oven and kept the wada light, after the water evaporated.

2. Beat the batter for a few minutes to enhance the aeration. Test the batter by dropping a little piece in a bowl of water – if it floats, the batter is light – and right!

This tip works for sure! You really get the crisp urad grains on your fingers when you bite into the wada. 

Baked Medu Wada

Ingredients

1 cup skinned black lentils (dhuli urad dal)

A fistful of chick peas (chana dal) - this is my MIL's trick

2 tsp chopped ginger

A few curry leaves

½ tsp cumin seeds

½ tsp pepper corns or ground pepper

2 green chilliies chopped (or more)

A pinch of hing

5-6 tbsp oil

Salt to taste

A little water

Method

Soak the dal in plenty of cold water for about 4-5 hours. 

Grind the dal with all the ingredients for the wada, except the oil, in a food processer. The reason for this is you can grind the dal quite fine with less water and the motion of the blades aerates the batter as you go.

Grind into a smooth batter paste and adjust the tastes. Add the oil and beat it with a whisk (or with your hand!) until the batter is light and fluffy, say about 8-10 minutes. Test the batter for lightness by dropping a little blob in a small bowl of water. If it floats easily, the batter is light enough.

Drizzle a little oil or spray the doughnut tray and pour a tablespoonful into each depression. Make sure the separator peeps through the batter.

Bake the wadas in a pre-heated oven in muffin or doughnut trays at 180C for about 15 minutes or until done. Then turn on the grill for just a few minutes to brown it on the top as well.

You’ll need to experiment with the time and temperature a little, as each oven could be slightly different.

Serve with sambar and coconut chutney.