Pudachi vadi was definitely something completely new for me. This is a deep fried delicacy where the stuffing is primarily made of cilantro. The closest snack which is similar to it would be bakarvadi. I hadn’t heard of it till a couple of years ago. And the way I learnt about it was from a Marathi daily soap (who says watching television isn’t educational, eh!).
So fast forward to present day, I was having a conversation with friends and family and this came up. I was told ‘it tastes great. I used to enjoy eating it.’ So, I thought, why not try making it at home. That is the only practical way for me to taste it.
This is also known as sambar vadi in Nagpur and supposed to be a speciality from the region (not related in anyway to the lentil based sambar). This is because coriander/cilantro is called sambar in Nagpur. I recently found out that it is also available in Kolhapur.
Of course the challenge with making something you’ve never seen or eaten before is that you don’t know if what you create is the right thing. But my taster attested that, it had turned out exactly what he had eaten growing up.
It is delicious, the family loved it and I think I’ll be making it again and again.
Ingredients
Stuffing
2 bunches cilantro - finely chopped, use thin stalks too
2 tsp white poppy seeds/khuskhus
2 tsp sesame seeds/til
1/2 cup dry coconut flakes
4 green chillies
4 large garlic cloves
10-12 green onion leaves
2-3 garlic scapes/leaves if available
1/2 red onion finely chopped
Salt to taste
1 tsp goda masala
2 bunches cilantro - finely chopped, use thin stalks too
2 tsp white poppy seeds/khuskhus
2 tsp sesame seeds/til
1/2 cup dry coconut flakes
4 green chillies
4 large garlic cloves
10-12 green onion leaves
2-3 garlic scapes/leaves if available
1/2 red onion finely chopped
Salt to taste
1 tsp goda masala
For the cover
2/3 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 cups besan
1 tsp haldi
1 tsp chili powder
Salt to taste
3 tbsp oil
2/3 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 cups besan
1 tsp haldi
1 tsp chili powder
Salt to taste
3 tbsp oil
A Paste made of 2 tsp goda masala, 1 tsp tamarind concentrate, 1 tsp sugar, salt to taste
Method
Mix all the ingredients for the cover. Then add little water at a time and knead it into a hard dough (like for a puri). Set aside.
In a pan dry roast khus khus, and sesame seeds. Then dry roast the coconut flakes. Let it cool and the grind to a coarse powder. Grind the chillies and garlic. I used a mortar and pestle to make grind it.
Heat oil in same pan and add the chopped. The Add the garlic chili paste to the onions. Cook well and add the cut onion greens and garlic scapes. Sauté for a few mins and then add the cilantro. Cook for a few minutes then add 1 tsp goda masala. Cook for a few mins to dry out. And let cool. Then add salt to taste and mix well. This stuffing should be fairly dry.
Take a small ball of dough, enough to roll into an oval puri about 3 inches long. Roll small oval puri about 2 mm thick. Not too thin and transparent but more like samosa cover. Then apply a layer of the paste made with goda masala and tamarind.
Then line up about 2-3 tsp of the filling in the center along the length of the oval. Then wrap the two shorter ends together to make a roll. Seal the edges well. Use some water along the edges if needed to make sure that they edges stick. Using your fingers and palm shape the roll into a triangular shape if you like. This is not required but provides a shape to your vadi.
Then line up about 2-3 tsp of the filling in the center along the length of the oval. Then wrap the two shorter ends together to make a roll. Seal the edges well. Use some water along the edges if needed to make sure that they edges stick. Using your fingers and palm shape the roll into a triangular shape if you like. This is not required but provides a shape to your vadi.
Heat oil in a kadhai. Fry on medium heat like a samosa till very well browned and crispy. They will crisp up further as they cool. On a ceramic electric stove top, I started the process at 7 and then fried it at 5.
Cut into smaller pieces and serve or serve full rolls. These taste amazing even when warm and can be served immediately upon frying.
Can also store in airtight container for 2-3 days or refrigerate for longer storage. Warm up in oven to crisp up if stored for a longer time.
Wash all the greens and let them dry before cutting. This will minimize the moisture introduced into the stuffing. If the edges are not sealed well, the roll will unravel and the filling will spill into the oil.
You can lightly panfry them with a tsp of oil before frying, to ensure a tight seal, cooking the sealed edge. Make sure that you do not brown the rolls during this pre-cooking process.
If you feel the rolls are not crisp enough after cooling down, then bake them in hot oven heated to 400F for 10 mins. Place them on a cooling rack and then on a baking cookie sheet/tray before placing in the oven for good air circulation and to avoid darkening on one side of the roll because it is in contact with a baking sheet/tin.
If you don’t have goda masala, substitute with dhania-jeera powder (1:1 ratio).
You can lightly panfry them with a tsp of oil before frying, to ensure a tight seal, cooking the sealed edge. Make sure that you do not brown the rolls during this pre-cooking process.
If you feel the rolls are not crisp enough after cooling down, then bake them in hot oven heated to 400F for 10 mins. Place them on a cooling rack and then on a baking cookie sheet/tray before placing in the oven for good air circulation and to avoid darkening on one side of the roll because it is in contact with a baking sheet/tin.
If you don’t have goda masala, substitute with dhania-jeera powder (1:1 ratio).
