RICE VADA
Rice Vada or bhajia is a crispy, crunchy, delicious snack made by using up leftover plain rice. Easy to make, add a few vegetables of your choice, some flour and you have a hot snack ready in no time to enjoy during the rainy or cold season. To make rice vada healthier I prefer to make them in a paniyaram pan. However, you most certainly can deep fry them.
Ingredients
FOR THE RICE VADA BATTER
- 2 cups cooked rice
- ½ cup onion finely chopped
- 1 cup fresh fenugreek chopped
- 3 tbsp chickpea flour
- 1-2 green chillis finely chopped
- 1 tsp ginger paste
- 1 sprig curry leaves finely chopped
- ¼ tsp soda bicarbonate
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ cup cashew nuts roughly chopped
- ½ -1 tsp coarse pepper powder
- ⅛ tsp asafoetida optional
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder haldi
- 2 tbsp hot oil
FOR THE COCONUT CHUTNEY
- 1 cup fresh coconut grated
- ¼ cup fresh coriander chopped
- 10-12 mint leaves
- 1-2 green chillis
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp ginger paste
- ¼-⅓ cup water
- some cooking oil deep frying or for the paniyaram
Instructions
PREPARATION OF THE RICE VADA BATTER
- Put the leftover rice in a mixing bowl and mash it up lightly.
- Chop the curry leaves, fenugreek, coriander, onion finely.
- Add all the ingredients except 2 tbsp oil to the rice and mix well.
- Add hot oil and mix when you are ready to cook the vadas.
DEEP FRYING THE RICE VADA
- Heat the oil in a kadai or wok over medium heat till it is hot. To test, add a small piece of the batter into the oil. It should come up immediately.
- Wet your fingers with water and take about a tablespoonful of the mixture and form a ball. Flatten it slightly.
- Fry the vadas 5-6 at a time over medium heat till it is light golden in colour.
- Remember to turn them over in the oil frequently so they brown evenly.
- Serve hot vadas with a chutney of your choice or the coconut chutney.
PREPARATION OF RICE VADA USING A PANIYARAM PAN
- Add a drop of oil into each cavity of the appe pan.
- Heat it over medium heat.
- Add a tablespoon of the batter into each cavity.
- Cover the pan and let the vada cook over low to medium heat till the underside becomes golden brown.
- The top of the vada should appear dry.
- Using a spoon or a skewer, flip the vadas over for the other to cook and becomes golden brown. Add a drop of oil in each cavity again from the side.
- Serve hot vadas with your favorite chutney.
PREPARATION OF COCONUT CHUTNEY
- Put all the ingredients for the chutney in a blender and blitz for a few minutes.
- Remove the chutney into a serving bowl.
Notes
- When you wet your hands with water, its easy to roll the vadas. Or scoop up the batter with a tablespoon and using a teaspoon slip the batter into the oil.
- Can use any leftover rice like pulao, biryani or plain. Adjust the spices accordingly.
- Use a mixture or fenugreek and coriander. If you don't get fenugreek add chopped spinach.
- If the rice is too soft, you may need more flour.
- Add 2 tbsp rice flour to make the vadas more crispy.
- Adjust the spices according to your taste.