Punjabi Wadi are sun dried lentil and spice dumplings made with ground lentil batter. This Vadi recipe is made with fresh green chickpeas and moong dal.
1cupfresh green chickpeas- in the absence of chickpeas, simply make the vadis with 2 cups of mung dal (hulled mung beans) or urad dal (hulled black gram) or ½ cup dried green chickpeas soaked overnight.
Soak the fresh chickpeas in water for 2 to 3 hours.
Also soak the mung dal or urad dal for 2 to 3 hours.
Drain the chickpeas and grind it with very little water or no water to a fine, smooth and thick paste.
Also grind the mung dal or urad dal with very little water or no water to a thick and fine, smooth paste.
In a large bowl mix together both the chickpea paste and the mung dal or urad dal paste.
Add all the spices and salt and mix well.
Sun-drying Vadi
Take a large tray/plate or food safe plastic sheet.
Keep the tray/plate on a mat in the sun.
Drop spoonful of the the wadi mixture on the plate/tray or plastic sheet.
You can shape them in small circles with the back of the spoon.
Dry them in the sun for 2 to 3 days till they become hard.
When one side is dried, then turn the wadis and dry the other side.
You will have to turn these wadis a couple of times to ensure even drying.
When done, store all the punjabi wadis in an air tight container.
Adding the vadis to any dish
Rinse the vadis in water.
Then add them to any veggie or rice based dish.
Let them cook for 4 to 5 minutes.
The vadis will become soft when cooked.
Notes
A) To make the wadis more spicy, you can add red chili powder or red chilli flakes to the ground lentil mixture.B) To make the wadis in the oven:1: First grease an over proof tray with oil or you can line the tray with parchment paper.2: Grease the parchment paper with some oil.3: With the help of a spoon drop the wadi mixture in to the tray and shape them.4: Keep some space between the vadis.5: Bake the wadis at lower oven temperatures say between 50 to 80 degrees Celsius for 6 to 7 hours or till they get totally dried up and change their color.6: You will have to keep on checking in between and turn them over as needed so that both sides are dried.7: The time and temperature will vary from oven to oven.