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Isso vadai
Prawn and lentil fritters
ඉස්සෝ වඩේ (isso vade): crunchy split-pea fritters topped with whole prawns, Galle Face style
As the sun goes down on Galle Face Green in Colombo, carts line the seafront selling isso vadai: crunchy lentil fritters with a whole prawn pressed into the top of each one. Families buy them in paper bags with sliced onion and a squeeze of lime while the kids fly kites. At home they make a great teatime snack or a starter for guests, and they're best eaten within minutes of frying. Chef's tip: soak the split peas but don't grind them too smoothly; a coarse, slightly grainy batter is what gives the fritters their crunch.
- Total time
- 55 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the batter
- 9 oz chana dal (split Bengal gram)soaked in water for 3–4 hours
- 1 red onionfinely chopped
- 2 green chilliesfinely chopped
- 1 tsp dried red chilli flakes
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 10 curry leaveschopped
- 1 tsp salt
For the topping
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp chilli powder
For frying and serving
- 3 ¼ cups vegetable oil for deep frying
- 1 limecut into wedges
- ½ red onion (optional)thinly sliced
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Method
0/6 doneStep 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.
5 minStep 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.
5 minStep 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.
3 minStep 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.
10 minStep 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.
20 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 390 kcal
- Protein
- 22 g
- Carbs
- 38 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fibre
- 9 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does isso vadai take?
- About 55 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of red onion?
- White onion or shallots, same amount (soak raw onion in cold water for 10 minutes to soften it).
- What can I use instead of fennel seeds?
- Aniseeds, same amount (a stronger liquorice taste).
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