Preparation Time : 40 minutes

Cooking Time : 40 minutes

Serving : 6 members

Description

Vaada , is an authentic regional snack very own to the Muslim town of kayalpattinam near tirunelveli . Very often there is a barter system that happens with in our neighbours and relatives . Like wise once we did receive vaada from our neighbours ( family paediatrician too ) mr . Thamby mamas home . Every one at home were like ho “VAADA” , I didn’t know what it was ???? Sweet , savoury , tangy or what is this space craft like looking delicacy . All I knew about vaada was the Tamil word vaa da that meant come da :-)) . Tasted it and it was an oily crisp , chewy cover with a prawn filling . I didn’t like it at first but as you eat it gets more appetising and you start wanting more . Eating this snack is a good exercise for your cheek bones as it starts paining in a while because of the chewiness .     This snack was always relished when ever it was sent home by nachi amma ( mrs . Thamby ) or  at the beaches of kayalpattinam where they sell vaada with kari kanji or pickle . Never did I want to know how to make this dish as I didn’t fancy it much though I used to like it . Once in chennai we had gone to visit my hubby’s first cousin wahidha. She served us some home made hot vaadas . Tasted one and it was the best vaada that I have tasted till date . As the cover was crisp , light and not chewy . Wanted to get the recipe then and there but as Wahima was busy then just left it for after wards . Came across two recipes in the world wide net for vaadas , tried both and didn’t work out as expected . Finally got the recipe from Wahima and gave a try with my cook all grumbling and having a look like why can’t she give up if it doesn’t work .Me not wanting to give up or compromise at any cost went ahead and the results were pitch perfect just like wahimas vaadas . Served it while breaking our fast during the holy month of ramadhan and hubby very reluctantly took one . The first bite he took , his eye brows raised and eyes widened , following with who send this ? Taste’s really good and no pain of chewing as well . Happy , happy me  ( happier cook of mine actually ) as my quest of perfecting vaada was finally accomplished with flying colours like the passion of a true food lover .

Ingredients for the cover

Method

1. Pressure cook all the above ingredients together except for puttu maavu ( powder)  and oil to deep fry for 5 whistles .
2. Cool and pulse ( not grind ) to a coarse mass of rice paste .
3. Add one cup of puttu / kappi or thenga otta powder and knead to a dough with wet hands with out adding water .you get a sticky dough , set aside for 15 minutes and the dough become tight .

Ingredients for filling

Method for filling

1. Mix onions , green chillies , turmeric powder , salt and prawn together . Heat one tablespoon of oil and saute the prawn mixture for 5 to 8 minutes .
2. Add grated coconut , Maldives fish powder and curry leaves . Mix well and cool completely .

How to proceed

1. Make lemon sized ball one slightly bigger than the other with the dough .
2. Using a clean wet muslin cloth flatten both sized small ball of dough to your palm size ( bigger sized ball flattened a bit bigger ) with wet hands to 1/4 inch thick .
3. Place 1 tablespoon of prawn filling over the small sized flattened round and close with the bigger flattened round .
4. Seal both the edges of the cover rounds together making sure to seal the filling inside .
5. Do the same to all the cover dough and filling .( I usually do up to this point ahead , freeze , defrost and use when required ) .
6. Heat oil to deep fry and fry to a golden yellow colour and crisp for about 3-5 minutes in batches . Drain and serve as it is with kari kanji .

Note

1. Any other filling can be used other than the prawn filling given but this is the authentic filling used .
2. Make sure the outer cover does not crack  while flattening .
3. Always use wet hands and a wet muslin cloth to flatten the rice dough to make things easier .