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CHEF'S CORNER

Photo: Shanker Chakravarty

For chilly evenings Peanut vada with mint chutney is a good winter snack

I thought of this dish during Lori, which just went by. There is a surplus of peanuts in this season.

But there are only limited options in how peanuts can be prepared. One can eat masala peanuts while drinking cold beer. The second is to peal your moongfali during the Ramlila and to laugh with Ravan. The other way is to eat butter fried peanuts, which is not the healthiest option! People also grind them and put them into food, but there you can’t even recognise the peanut taste.

So, this is a new way of making a vada. And it is a new way of using peanuts also. This is a teatime snack and is best in winter. The peanuts provide a nice crunch and I like it for that. I prefer it with mint chutney. But coconut chutney is also a good option.

2 cups unsalted roasted de-skinned peanuts

4 tbsp chopped onion

1 tsp chopped green chilli

1 heaped tbsp chopped curry leaves

1 tsp ajwain

1/2 tsp cracked pepper corn

Salt to taste

chaat masala to taste

2 tbsp roasted besan

Oil to fry the vadas

1 serving mint chutney

Divide peanuts into parts. Coarsely pulverize one part of the peanuts in a mixer. Add the pulverised peanuts to the chopped onion, chopped green chilly, chopped curry leaves, ajwain, cracked peppercorn, salt and mix together. Mix in the roasted besan flour. Add in just two tablespoons of water and make a bindable mix of the same.

Add in the whole grains of peanuts. Keep aside for five minutes.

Coat your palms with a few drops of oil and then take half a fistful of the mix and form a round patty. With all the batter you shall get about six to eight patties depending upon the size.

Heat oil in a kadhai to medium high heat and fry all the vadas in it. When half done, remove the vadas.

Lower the temperature of the oil to low-to-medium heat, and then fry the vadas again till done. The colour will be golden brown.

Serve with a generous helping of the chaat masala and mint chutney as accompaniment.

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