Ragi Vadai - Deep Fried "Ragi Adai" - Another Quick Snack!

கேழ்வரகு வடை  - Deep Fried "Ragi Adai" 

Memories about ragi adai, takes me to my childhood days in my grandparents house. i remember very vaguely.. like a dream.. it was a bright evening.. just few minutes after a heavy rain.. yet sunny.. around 4 pm.. the leaves were dripping water..
ground was still wet and the rain water hasn't drained yet.. we all were casually assembled in our garden to see the rainbow.. that's when my grandmother was preparing to make this ragi (finger millet) adai in her smoky fire wood stove in the garden. i used to find a place near the அடுப்பு, pull out a brick from nearby, sit on it and keep gazing at my grandmother.. the way she, handles the stove.. adjusts the fire wood.. spreads the adais on the banana leaf.. the ragi adai being cooked on the தோசை கல்லு.. and many more.. memories that just remains as a "good feeling" in my heart.

adai is like a thicker roti or chapathi made on a tawa with oil drizzled on it. unlike roti or chapathi, this adai has more flavouring ingredients in it.

generally millet take a long time to cook. as these are rich in fibre, consuming the incompletely cooked food made with millet disturb the stomach. a well cooked millet or fermented millet do not disturb the tummy.

this adai takes a long time to cook. so they make big size adai so that one adai is enough for one person. but today i did not have the mood to stand in the kitchen and make three big adai. because, by the time i make the last adai.. and that's for myself, others would have finished theirs'. then its like eating alone! so, i decided to make "vadai" with the ragi instead of adai. just make it smaller and deep fry them. that's all! its more delicious and crunchy on the out and firm inside - bonus! one of my friend gave me the idea of making vada with the ragi flour. she makes many more yummy dishes with ragi and its flour.

i make sure that i make these vadas in the early evenings and finish it up before 7 pm as this will be a pretty heavy snack for the evening and you will feel full for dinner. sometimes i make this கேழ்வரகு வடை for breakfast too.

i know this is an deep fried dish.. but still it gives me a sort of peace to my heart when i see that these vadais don't drink much oil while frying. the amount of oil will remain same in the pan even after we are done frying. now, how is that?!

this ragi vadais are very easy to make and instant snack.

Ingredients:

• ragi flour - 1 cup
• onion - 1 medium finely chopped
• garlic - 4 pods crushed
• green chillies - 3 finely chopped
• curd - 3 spoons
• curry leaves - chopped
• soaked channa dhall and urad dhal - 1 tablespoon each (optional)
• moringa leaves - 1 cup or more as needed. any other amaranthus green (finely chopped) can also be used instead of moringa greens.
• salt
• oil to deep fry
• water to knead

Procedure:

• keep the pan with oil on stove to heat.
• meanwhile, take a big mixing bowl and add all the above ingredients to it.
• if you feel that you can add more greens, go ahead and add.
• add water little by little to make it like a chapathi or poori dough.
• pinch out small balls of the dough and keep ready.
• take a plastic sheet and grease with oil. flatten the dough balls on this sheet to required size and drop the vadai in hot oil to deep fry.
• cook till the 75%-80% bubbles stop. do not wait longer as the vadais will turn hard.
• the hot and delicious ragi vadai or கேழ்வரகு வடை is ready to be served hot.. good even without a side dish or dip!

Tip:

if you do not have the greens, that's okay.. you can proceed with the other ingredients. BUT, believe me... the greens take this vadai or adai to another flavourful level.

i might not have greens handy when i want to make the vadais. so, i never miss to make this vadais whenever i buy greens for lunch. i will just save a fist full of greens for this evening snack.

you too go ahead and try this ragi vadai and let me know how it came out for you..

Happy cooking !!