Perugu Vadai

Ingredients

• 1 cup Sour, thick curd
• 1 cup Rice flour (made by soaking rice and shade-drying it before milling)
• 2 Teaspoons Green chili paste
• 2 Tablespoons Chopped coriander leaves
• as needed Salt
• 1 Tablespoon Soaked chana dal
• Oil (as needed, for frying)

Instructions

1. Whisk the curd and add 1/4 cup water, then strain.
2. Pour the whisked curd into a heavy-bottomed pan or bronze vessel, add salt, and heat on low flame.
3. When it comes to a boil, pour the rice flour into the center all at once and immediately turn off the stove.
4. Mix immediately and quickly with a flat ladle -- this is what keeps lumps from forming.
5. Once cool enough to handle, knead well. Finally, mix in the chili paste, the soaked chana dal, and coriander leaves.
6. Shape small, lemon-sized balls, and pat them flat and thin by hand on a banana leaf or plastic sheet.
7. Deep-fry the flattened vadai in moderately hot oil.
8. Note: don't fry this for too long -- the vadai should stay soft. Don't flip it once one side has browned. Remove as soon as the color just starts to change, drain the oil well, and serve.