Perugu Garelu is a traditional Andhra style recipe where garelu or medu vada is soaked in the tempered perugu or curd. We will make these for any of the festivals and offer to god as prasadam.
Perugu Garelu (Telugu) is also known as thayir vadai in Tamil, thairu vada in Malayalam, mosaru vade in Kannada. Even though Perugu Garelu translates to Dahi Vada in hindi and both Perugu Garelu/Dahi Vada involve serving Vada soaked in Curd, Perugu garelu is served spicy compared to Dahi vada which is served sweet by mixing sweet chutney.
How to prepare garelu or vada:
Take a cup of urad dal, wash once or twice, add 1/2 tsp of fenugreek seeds and soak them by adding plenty of water for 4-5 hrs.
1. Add the soaked urad dal to a blender and blend them to a smooth and thick batter adding little by little water. Do not add more water as the batter turns runny and becomes difficult to put the vada.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a deep frying pan or kadai.
3. In a mixing bowl, add the urad dal batter, salt and mix well. To get the soft and fluffy garelu, beat the batter with your hands for 3-4 minutes. You can also use a hand mixer, beat it at a high speed for 3-4 minutes.
4. When the oil is hot enough, take a small lemon size ball of batter, flatten it with your thumb and make a small hole in the middle as shown in the below picture. You can also make vada on a thick plastic cover or zip lock bag or banana leaf. If the batter sticks to your hand, slightly wet your hand by dipping in water before taking the batter.
5. Carefully slide the vada into the hot oil and cook them on a medium flame.
6. When the garelu turns slightly golden, flip them and fry.
7. Fry garelu until they turn nice golden brown. Repeat steps 4 and 5 for the remaining batter to make the garelu.
How to prepare perugu or curd mixture:
1. Heat 1 or 2 tbsp of oil in a flat vessel.
2. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal, slit green chilies, curry leaves.
3. When the dal turns slightly golden, add turmeric, salt, and turn off the flame.
4. Now add a cup of curd or perugu.
5. Mix them thoroughly, check the taste, adjust salt as per your taste, and keep aside. Add curd or perugu after turning off the flame and mix it immediately else curd may curdle. If you feel the curd is thick add little water and adjust the consistency.
How to prepare perugu garelu or curd vada:
1. Add the hot garelu or vada to the prepared curd mixture.
2. Cover the curd all over the garelu so that they are nicely coated with curd.
3. Allow the garelu to absorb all the perugu or curd nicely.
4. Serve perugu garelu hot or cold. Perugu garelu tastes so good when they are served cold.
Perugu Garelu
Ingredients
For Medu Vada
- 1 cup Urad Dal
- 1/2 tsp Fenugreek or methi seeds (optional)
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- Oil for deep frying
For Curd Mixture
- 1 curd Curd
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric
- 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
- 1 tsp Urad Dal
- 1 or 2 Green Chili (slit)
- 1 sprig Curry Leaves
- 1 tbsp Salt or as per your taste
- 1 tbsp Oil
Instructions
- Soak urad dal for 4-5 hrs.
- Heat oil in a flat vessel.
- Add mustard seeds, when splutters add urad dal, curry leaves, and green chilies. When nicely fried, turn off the flame.
- Add 1 cup of curd.
- Also, add turmeric and salt and mix well.
- Mix all the ingredients thoroughly and keep aside.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in a deep frying pan or kadai.
- Grind the dal in a blender by adding very little water to make a smooth and thick mixture. Add 1 tsp salt and mix well.
- To make vada, dip your hand in the water, take a small lemon size urad dal mixture. Slightly make round and spread a little bit with thumb and make a hole at the center. You can also use a thick plastic cover or banana leaf.
- When the oil is heat enough, slowly slip the vada into the oil.
- On a medium flame, fry the vada till golden color on both sides.
- Repeat step 4 to make all the vada's.
- Put the fried vada in the prepared curd mixture.
- Fully cover the vada with the curd mixture and allow the vada to absorb the curd completely.
- Perugu garelu is ready. Serve immediately or can refrigerate and serve cold.
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