Happy Ugadi! - Mixed Vegetable Vada (Fritters)

Happy Ugadi Everyone!

This last Monday (3/31) was Telugu New Year also known as Ugadi! It is usually celebrated with the reading of the New Years' almanac and traditional foods. Like Ugadi Pachadi whose ingredients represent different experiences that we all deal with in one year's time: Happiness, Sadness, Anger, Disgust, Surprise and Fear. Last year, we celebrated our first Ugadi together with some recipe help from Amma!

There was Mango Rice, Plantain Bajji, Tindora fry, Potato fry, Ugadi Pachadi, Mixed Veggie Curd Salad, Bobbattu, and Cabbage Vada. Now before you say anything:
I know, I know the most important dish the Ugadi Pachadi was missing from the photo! Not because I forgot to make it, but because it didn't hang around long enough for a photo...

Ahem, (*cough*) Kishore ate it.

This year, Ugadi was on a Monday, at the start of a particularly busy work week so I had to scale it down a bit. 

There was Mango Rice, Eggplant Bajji, Ugadi Pachadi, Curd Salad, and Mixed Vegetable Vada.

I was particularly excited about this year's Vada. 

In case you don't know, Vada is a doughnut- shaped fritter made from ground bean paste and vegetables. It's crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and tasty all around. 

So Why was I excited? Because I experimented this year! Since we had just celebrated St. Patrick's Day the week before, we still had plenty of leftover green cabbage and veggies. So, I decided to use them all; green cabbage, along with red cabbage and kale, some shredded broccoli stalks and shredded carrots for good measure. The colors from these veggies are very reminiscent of colorful  spring flowers; perfect for a holiday celebrating the onset of spring and the start of a New Year!

Part of the reason I like making/eating Vada is that it's simple, quick, it can be made with pretty much any vegetable and it's filling. It's great as a snack or a side dish.

You can read more about other years celebrations here:

 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024.

Here is my recipe for Versatile Mixed Vegetable Vada:

Mixed Vegetable Vada

Makes 15-20

Ingredients:

1 cup Urad Dal
1 cup Chopped Green/Red Cabbage, and Kale
1/4 cup Shredded Carrot
1/4 cup Shredded Broccoli Stalk
1 tsp Garlic Ginger Paste
2 Chopped Green Chilies
1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
1/2 tsp Red Chili Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
3 cups Water

Vegetable Oil

Prep Work: Soak the Urad Dal in 2 cups of warm water for about an hour.
1. Drain the water from the Dal and place softened beans in a food processor. Grind to a paste, then slowly add water till it gains a thick batter consistency.
2. To the batter add all the vegetables, and spices. Mix throughly.

3. Pour oil about 1/2" deep into a frying pan, and heat to medium.
4. While the oil is heating, with slightly damp hands start forming the vadas.

5. Carefully place them in the oil, and cook till golden brown on both sides.

6. Drain on paper towels.

Serve Hot with chutney of your choosing.

Crispy crunch outside and nice and spongey on the inside :)

Enjoy!

I have entered this post in Four Seasons Food Spring Challenge, hosted by Delicieux and Eat your Veg. I'va also added it to My Legume Love Affair #70, hosted by Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen and Susan's The Well Seasoned Cook.