Thapi Vadi

A very dear friend of mine, Archana Kulkarni Mairal, shares a traditional dish from Vidharbha, Nagpur. She is our neighbour and a very close friend with whom many an evening tea and chit chat sessions are shared. A mother of two, a doting wife and a fantastic friend, who loves to try out new dishes and never hesitates to share a recipe or two with us.

Ingredients

• Besan – 1 bowl
• Sour Curd – 2tbsp
• Salt – to taste
• Red Chilli Powder – 2tsp
• Water – ½ bowl
• Grated coconut – 2 tbsp
• Curry leaves – 5-6 nos.
• Mustard – 1 tsp
• Hing – a pinch
• Coriander leaves – ½ cup finely chopped
• Cooking oil – 1 bowl for frying

Method

1. In a bowl, mix besan, curd, red chilli powder and salt with water for bhajiya consistency.
2. Heat oil in a kadai and add mustard seeds and hing, sauté for a few minutes and add the besan mixture.
3. Mix the besan well with the oil. Keep covering and cooking it in steam for minimum 15 minutes.
4. Once it is cooked, pour the mixture on a greased thali (or a steel plate) while it is hot.
5. Flatten with a spoon and cut the cubes for the vadi. Allow it to cool for 10 mins.
6. Before serving, pour a temper of mustard, hing, and curry leaves on top of the cooled besan mix.
7. Garnish with grated coconut and coriander leaves and serve immediately.
8. If you wish to eat it later, you can re-heat it in microwave/ tava.

Recipe courtesy: Archana Kulkarni Mairal