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Rasa vadai, a popular snack in Nagercoil, Suchindrum and many places of Kanyakumari District. Usually if we order Rasa vada in Chennai based restaurants, we get medhuvada dipped in rasam. But in Kanyakumari district, the rasa vada is made with Masal Vada. Crispy dip fried round shaped masala vada is prepared and then dunked in hot, spicy and flavorful rasam. The flavor of masala vada along with pepper-garlic flavored rasam makes this vada ultimately divine. We can serve this Rasam vada as a starter for family gatherings.

There is a small shop in Suchindram called "Kannan Aappa Kadai" near the Suchindram Anjeneyar temple. Whenever we go for a native place trip, we never miss to stop there and taste their yummy Rasa Vada. If you go to Nagercoil/Suchindram or Kanyakumari, try to go this shop and have their Rasa Vada, you will surely enjoy.

There are 3 main process in making rasa vada. First, we need to soak the dal and then prepare the vada with all spices. Then we need to make spicy and tangy Rasam. Then we need to soak the fried vada in Rasam and allow it to rest in rasam. The soaking process will ensure the vada to absorb all the richness of the rasam. Finally while serving, top the vada with more Rasam and garnish with coriander leaves and a dollop of ghee!

Tips for making Rasa Vada:

There is no need to add dal for rasam and we need thin consistency rasam.
Grind the tomatoes too to get same consistency of rasam.
Adding garlic to rasam is optional, we can exclude.
The vada dough should be coarse then only the vada will be crispy.
Adding 2 tablespoon of urad dal makes the vada little soft inside to absorb the flavors of rasam.
Adding onion, garlic to vada mixture is optional. We can skip.
Deep fry the vada in low flame to ensure its cooked and turns golden brown. Keeping flame high makes the vada darker but not cooked properly.
Split the rasam into 2 portions. One portion for soaking vada and other for serving.
Before adding fried vada in rasam make sure the rasam is hot or atleast warm.
Soak the vada in rasam for atleast 1 hour
We can add chopped tomatoes while serving. It will be more colorful and attracts our family and guests while serving.
While serving, add 1-2 soaked vada in a bowl, heat other portion of rasam and pour generous amount of that rasam on top of the soaked vada in the bowl. Garnish with coriander leaves and ghee!

Other South Indian Appetizers to Try

Recipe Card for Nagercoil Style Rasa Vadai Recipe:

INSTRUCTIONS WITH STEP BY STEP PICTURES:

SOAKING DALS

Take chana dal, urad dal in a mixing bowl. Add water and rinse the dal thoroughly. Add fresh water and soak the dals for 3 hours.

METHOD FOR MAKING RASAM

Soak tamarind in 1 cup of hot water for 10 mins. After 10 mins, squeeze and extract the tamarind juice. Strain and add this tamarind juice to sauce pan.

Add tomato in mixer jar and grind it to smooth paste.

Pour this tomato paste to the sauce pan.

Take the garlic, cumin seeds and pepper corns in a mixer.

Add water and grind it to smooth paste. Pour this spice paste in the sauce pan.

Keep the sauce pan in flame. Add turmeric powder, salt, asafoetida to the rasam mixture.

Allow the rasam mixture to boil for 5 mins to get rid off the raw smell of tamarind and tomato.

After 5 mins, add 2 cups of water and adjust the consistency. Allow the rasam to form a frothy layer on top and then switch off the flame. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Now, in a separate pan, add ghee and when the ghee is hot, add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. When the mustard seeds starts to sputter add curry leaves and give a mix. Add this tempering to rasam.

Split the rasam into 2 portions. One portion for soaking vada and another for serving. Rasam is now ready!

METHOD FOR MAKING VADA

After, 3 hours drain the water from soaked dal. Take 2 handful of dal in a mixer jar. Add red chili, green chili, ginger, garlic, mint, coriander leaves and fennel seeds.

Grind it till the chilies are nicely ground. Add the rest of the dals along with salt to the mixer jar.

Pulse 3-4 times till you get a coarse mixture. Vada mixture is now ready!

To the vada mixture, add curry leaves and chopped onions. Give a good mix.

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan. Add a pinch of dough in hot oil and it it raises immediately, the oil is in the correct heatness. Take small quantity of dough, and make it like lemon sized ball and gently drop in oil.