Isso vadai

Step 1: Drain 9 oz chana dal (split Bengal gram) well. Set aside 3 tbsp of whole soaked dal, then pulse the rest in a food processor to a coarse, thick paste without adding water.

Step 2: Mix the paste with the whole dal, 1 red onion, 2 green chillies, 1 tsp dried red chilli flakes, 1 tsp fennel seeds, 10 curry leaves and 1 tsp salt. Squeeze a little in your hand: it should hold together. If it is crumbly, add 1 tsp water at a time.

Step 3: Toss 16 small raw prawns, shell on or peeled with tails with ¼ tsp ground turmeric and ½ tsp chilli powder. Keep them in the fridge until you are ready to fry; wash your hands and board after handling raw seafood.

Step 4: Wet your hands and shape the batter into 16 flat patties about 6 cm across and 1.5 cm thick. Press one prawn firmly into the top of each.

Step 5: Heat 3 ¼ cups vegetable oil for deep frying in a deep pan to 350°F, or until a crumb of batter sizzles and rises at once. Fry 4–5 vadai at a time for 4–5 minutes, turning once, until deep golden and crisp all over. A common mistake is overcrowding the pan; the oil cools and the vadai turn greasy.

Step 6: The prawns are cooked when they are pink and opaque all the way through. Drain the vadai on kitchen paper and serve hot with 1 lime and ½ red onion.