Description
Vadi are made by Soaking Moong Dal/Chora Dal/Urid Dal, grinding it without water in a processor, adding Salt, Pepper and Chilli. It is later piped out using a cone into small mounds on a cookie tray, this is then sun dried for 2-3 days or bakes it in the oven to completely dry it.
Heat the pan/cooker with 2 tablespoons of oil and fry the Vadi on medium heat for 3-4 min until the Vadi’s get light brown and give out a nutty aroma. Remove the Vadi from the pan. Add 2 more tablespoons of oil into the pan and add the bay leaf, peppercorns and chopped onion. sauté on medium high heat till the onions turn translucent and are ready to turn brown at the edges. Add 9 to 12 and sauté for 30 seconds and add the finely ground 4 to 7 into the pan. Add salt sauté for a minute and then add 2 tablespoons of water, sauté till the masala starts oozing oil from the side of the pan. Now add the fried Vadi’s and sauté for a minute, making sure there is no sticking. Add the potato and sauté to coat with the masala. Add water; give it a final stir .Cooking time needs fine tuning depending on the type of Vadi used. Adjust the thickness of curry and seasoning and garnish with chopped cilantro. Sprinkle some garam-masala or fennel powder just before serving.
It is used as an ingredient in many curries. Vadi’s are cooked traditionally in a tomato based curry, served over rice (with yogurt) or with roti or parathas.
Poppy seed oil used by artists as a drying oil. The blue seeds are used in painkillers, cough mixtures and syrups and as an expectorant. An infusion of the seeds is said to relieve toothache and earache.
The creamy coloured poppy seeds are more common in India, where they are ground and used as a thickening agent in curries and sauces. They are also used in some Indian bread. The dark seeds are also popular as a crunchy topping for western breads and biscuits, savory and sweet. The dark seeds are used extensively as a filling or baking ingredient in German and Eastern European breads, cakes, biscuits and pastries. Delicious pastries and a yeasted poppy seed roll are typical celebration treats baked for Christmas and other festive occasions. They are also sprinkled generously over cooked noodles, or sweetened with honey and made into a dessert dip or sauce. Dry fried seeds are an interesting addition to salads dressings, for example in potato, tomato, egg or pasta salads or coleslaw. Both white and black seeds can be sprouted to add to salads, sandwiches and in mixed vegetable dishes.
