Vadai Curry/Vada Curry/Side Dish for Idlis and Dosas/Vada Curry Recipe

Today I am going to share a very traditional and famous South Indian delight – Vadai Curry, which is served as side dish for idlis and dosas. Vadai Curry is a flavourful and tasty gravy, the vadais are prepared separately and then dunked into the freshly prepared gravy and cooked together for a while. All the flavors and spices get infused into the crumbled vadai and it taste heavenly. I have fried the vadais, if you want to make it healthier then you can very well steam cook the vadai and then make the vadai curry. Do try out this delicious vadai curry and post your comments here. Meanwhile do check out other interesting Chutney and Thogaiyal varieties here.

Here’s how to make Vadai Curry with step by step photos…

Other Chutney & Thogaiyal varieties that might be of your interest...

Coconut Chutney

Chettinad Kara Chutney/Kara Chutney

RedChilli Coconut Chutney

Vengaya Vadagam Chutney

Mint Coconut Chutney

Tomato Mint Chutney

Cilantro/Kothamalli/Coriander leaves Chutney

CarrotChutney

GreenBell Pepper Chutney

RedBell Pepper Chutney

Onion/VengayaChutney

OnionTomato Chutney

PearlOnionChutney/Rosapoo Chutney

SuttaKathrikkai/Brinjal Chutney

Tomato/ThakkaliChutney

TomatoThokku/Thakkali Thokku

ZucchiniChutney

Mullangi/RadishChutney

Peanut/Groundnut Chutney

Inji Thuvaiyal/Ginger Chutney

Kothamalli/CilantroThogaiyal

Thakkali Kothamalli Chutney/Tomato Coriander Leaves Chutney

Mint/Pudhina Thogaiyal

ParuppuThogaiyal/Dal Thogaiyal

PeekangaiThol Thogaiyal/Ridge gourd Peel Thogaiyal

Gongura Chutney/Pulicha Keerai Chuteny

Karpooravalli Thuvaiyal

Brinjal Tomato Chutney

Vallarai Keerai Thuvaiyal

Manathakkali Keerai Thuvaiyal

Thoothuvalai Keerai Thuvaiyal

Ididcha Poondu Milagai Podi

Karuvepilai Thokku

Ellu Thogaiyal/Sesame Seeds Thogaiyal

Karuvepillai ThogaiyalCurry Leaves Thogaiyal

Chow Chow Thol Thogaiyal

Dhaniya Chutney/Dhaniya Kara Chutney

Ingredients

Bengal gram Dal/Kadalai paruppu/Channa Dal	1 cup
Dry Red Chillies	5-6
Fennel Seeds/Sombu/Perunjeeragam	1 tbsp
Curry Leaves/Karivepillai	10-12
Salt	As needed
Oil	For Frying

For the Curry/Gravy

Onion	2 [sliced lengthwise]
Tomato	4 finely chopped
Green Chillies	2 -3 slit lengthwise
Ginger & Garlic	2 tbsp crushed [10 cloves of garlic and 2” ginger piece crushed with mortar & Pestle]
Red Chilli Powder	1 tsp
Coriander Powder	1 ½ tsp
Turmeric Powder	½  tsp
Salt	As needed
Coriander Leaves/Kothamalli/Cilantro	2 tbsp finely chopped
Mint Leaves/Pudhina	10-12 leaves
Curry Leaves	8-10

For Tempering

Oil	2 tbsp
Fennel Seeds/Sombu/Perunjeeragam	1 tsp
Cinnamon Sticks/Pattai	1” piece [2]
Cloves/Kirambu	2-3
Bay Leaf	2-3

Preparation Time: 10-12 minutes                       Recipe Category: Side Dish,Breakfast
Cooking Time: 30-40 minutes                              Recipe Cuisine: TamilNadu, South India
Author: Priya Anandakumar

Method

Preparation of Vadai’s

Wash and soak the Bengal Gram Dal/Kadalai Paruppu for about 2 hours.

Drain the water completely. Add the kadalai paruppu, dry red chillies, fennel seeds, salt to the mixer. 

Grind everything to a coarse paste.

Add curry leaves to the ground dal and mix really well.

Heat oil in a kadai/pan. Make uneven balls from the ground dal mixture and drop it in oil in batches.

Deep fry the vadais in low medium flame until they turn crispy and golden brown color. Make sure you cook them evenly on all sides.

Drain the oil and transfer it to plate. Keep it aside while you prepare the curry/gravy.

Preparation of Curry/Gravy

Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a kadai, when it becomes hot add fennel seeds/perunjeeragam, cinnamon sticks, cloves, bay leaves and sauté until nice aroma fills the room.

Now add the slices onions, green chillies , curry leaves, pinch of salt and sauté until translucent.

Add the crushed ginger & garlic paste to the onions and sauté for about a minute.

Add the chopped tomatoes and sauté will until they turn mushy.

Now add red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, salt and mix really well.

Add 2 cups of water and allow it to until all the raw smell vanishes. Add about some chopped coriander leaves and let it boil well.

Now add the fried vada to the gravy and mix well. Let it simmer on low heat for about 5 minutes. Mash it with laddle so the vada breaks and drinks the gravy.

When the gravy thickens, garnish the vadai curry with coriander leaves, mint leaves and mix well. Switch off the stove. Adjust the consistency of the vadai curry by adding little water only if needed.

Delicious and tempting Vadai Curry is ready to be served. Serve it hot with idlis and dosas.

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