Vade (Fluffy Fried Puris)

As I hail from a very traditional Maharashtrian family, I have always been fond of our cuisine i.e. Malvani. Malvani cuisine is famously prepared in South Konkan region of Maharashtra and Goa. It is a mixture of Maharashtrian and Goan cuisine. So it would be right to say that we enjoy best of both the worlds. My family roots go back to Konkan Region mainly Sindhdurg district, Vengurla, it would not be wrong to say that food prepared in our house reflected a lot of Konkan style. Typical Maratha household would always smells of Kombadi (chicken)/Vade or Mutton (goat)/ Vade on Sundays. The combination of Kombadi Vade or even Mutton Vade is extremely fulfilling and satisfying. 

The flour used for Vade is not a regular flour that we use for Rotis, Puris or Paratha. Instead it is a mixture of more than one flour with the addition of spices. Vade flour includes of Rice Flour, Urad dal, Gram flour (Besan) and Wheat flour (Atta). As all these ingredients are very easily available to the locale in Konkan Region, this dish is most commonly prepared by every household.

Let's have a look at the ingredients and method to make fluffy, crispy vade.

Ingredients:
1 cup Rice Flour
1 tbsp Urad Dal
1 cup Gram Flour (Besan) [Optional]
2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1 tbsp Methi seeds (Fenugreek)
2 tbsp Coriander Seeds (Dhania)

1 tsp Cumin Seeds (Jeera)
Salt to taste
1 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tbsp Oil for kneading

Oil for frying

Method:
Soak Urad Dal, Cumin Seeds and Fenugreek Seeds for 4 hours. You can soak it overnight but 4 hours is good enough amount of time.

Strain the water and grind it to fine paste by adding little water in it. 
Add all mentioned dry flour in a mixing bowl in above mentioned quantity. Add grinded mixture to the mixing bowl. Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, salt to the mixing bowl and using water in small quantities knead the mixture into soft dough.
Add 1 tbsp of Oil and knead it well into a smooth dough.
In a small pot or Kadai add Oil for deep frying. Once the oil is hot enough, take small portion of dough and on a flat surface place a ziplock bag.
Add few drops of oil  on the plastic/aluminium foil/ ziplock and try patting the small portion of dough into a small Puri/circle. If the dough is sticky then dip your fingers in the oil and then start making small round puris. (Watch the video for reference)

Add it to the oil for frying and remove it once golden brown and fluffy.
Repeat the process until you make enough for the family.
Serve hot with Chicken/Mutton curry along with Onions, Solkadhi.

NOTE: People who are vegetarians can have Vade with any spicy curry (Usal) like Moong Curry, Chole or Matki chi usal.