Ok, my favourite favourite food in Sri Lanka is Parippu Vada. Crispy lentil fritters. These are deep fried spiced lentil dhal cakes. OMG. Everywhere has them, find a bus or train station and there will be a vendor at 10SLR a piece. Following the chai-walla on the train will be a Vada-walla. This is what street food is meant to be.
I tried recreating the recipe when I got home. No deep fryer, but you can shallow fry with lots of oil. It’s quite easy to make, difficult to shape but once you’ve tried them, you’ll want more!
Parippu Vada –
Crispy Lentil Dhal Fritters.
- A large food processor, frying pan and kitchen roll.
- 2 cups of yellow lentils or split yellow peas or Tor dhal – soaked for at least 2 hours or more.
- 1tbsp of chopped ginger.
- 4-5 chillies (green and red) a finely chopped.
- 2tbsp fennel seeds
- 1tsp ground turmeric
- 1tsp salt
- Upto 10 curry leaves if you can find them.
- Cooking oil or coconut oil.
- Drain the lentils and blitz all except 2 tbsp in the mixer using a tablespoon of water to make it sticky. Not too much or it won’t stick.
- Add the remaining ingredients and mix by hand.
- Get the mightiest looking frying pan and put in about 1cm oil (I used coconut oil for an authentic taste and because I felt more health righteous using coconut).
- Make little patties (small golf balls and squeezed down into 60s flying saucer shapes and fry both sides. Because there is no binding agent, they fall apart quite quickly when uncooked, so be gentle and patient.
- Drain on kitchen roll and try not to eat whilst making the next batch!
- People say the last for 2 weeks in the fridge. Nonsense! They’re all gone by midnight!
Travel Dude 