Palak Vada / Keerai Vadai (Lentils deep-fried with spinach)

Spinach is not a preferred item on the menu for many of us, especially, kids. But we all know that spinach is rich in iron content and is loaded with folic acid and anti-oxidants. That makes it all the more important to include it in our diet and at the same time, make it very tasty.

Here is an attempt to make the quintessential South-indian Vadai with spinach in it. It turned out really yummy and anyone who loves paruppu vadai is sure to love this one too! :)

What You Need -

Channa Dal (கடலை பருப்பு) - 1 cup

Urad dal  (உளுந்து) - 1/2 cup

Spinach , finely chopped - 1 cup

Onions, finely chopped - 3/4 cup

Green chillies - 3 nos

Black pepper pods - 1 tsp

Fennel powder - 1/4 tsp

Salt - to taste

Rice flour - for crispness 

Besan  (கடலை மாவு) - a little, for binding everything together

How To -

• Soak the dals together for an hour or two. Drain the water completely and grind to a coarse paste along with green chillies, pepper and fennel seeds (சோம்பு) and salt.

• Mix chopped spinach and onions to the dal paste. 
• Add a little rice flour and besan. 

• Take a lemon sized ball in your palm, then flatten it and slid gently into a kadai with hot oil. Fry the vadas until the color turns golden and then flip sides. Keep the flame on Low and allow the vadais to get cooked well. Drain on kitchen tissues.

I served it hot with onion chutney :)