Medu vada

Step 1: Rinse 7 oz whole husked urad dal (white) in three changes of water and soak it in plenty of fresh water for 4 hours, no longer: over-soaked dal grinds into a sticky batter that soaks up oil. Drain it very well in a sieve for 10 minutes.

Step 2: Grind the dal in a wet grinder or a strong blender, adding ¼ cup ice-cold water a tablespoon at a time, only when the blades stop catching. Grind in short bursts, scraping down often, for 5–8 minutes, until the batter is smooth, thick and fluffy, like whipped cream that holds soft peaks. Ice-cold water keeps the blender from heating the batter, which makes vadas dense.

Step 3: Tip the batter into a large bowl and beat it with your hand in a circular motion for 3–4 minutes to whip in air; it will turn paler and lighter. Do the float test: a small blob dropped into water should float.

Step 4: Fold in 1 tbsp rice flour (it helps the crust crisp), 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black peppercorns, 1 tbsp fresh ginger, 2 green chillies, 12 curry leaves, and 1 small onion and 2 tbsp fresh coconut if using. Add salt only now, just before frying; salted batter turns runny on standing.

Step 5: Heat 3 ¼ cups sunflower or groundnut oil in a kadai or deep pan over a medium heat to 350°F; a drop of batter should rise to the top within 2–3 seconds, sizzling steadily but not furiously. Too hot and the outside browns before the inside cooks; too cool and they drink oil.

Step 6: Set a small bowl of water beside you. Wet your hand, take a lemon-sized ball of batter on your fingers, flatten it slightly and poke a hole in the middle with your wet thumb. Slide it gently off your fingers into the oil. If shaping by hand feels tricky, shape it on a piece of wet banana leaf or cling film instead.

Step 7: Fry 3–4 at a time for 4–5 minutes, turning once, until deep golden-brown and crisp; they should sound hollow and crackly when tapped with a spoon. Lift out and drain on kitchen paper. Let the oil come back to temperature between batches.

Step 8: Serve straight away with 1 ¾ cups sambar and coconut chutney and chutney if using. Medu vada lose their crispness within half an hour, so fry them just before eating.