For the second day of “veggies sneaked in” for kids, here’s another vada recipe using aval (poha/flattened rice) with a hidden vegetable: radish. My daughter enjoys radish in sambar but dislikes it in other dishes because of the pungent smell, so I wanted a recipe that softens and disguises that strong flavor. We get two varieties of poha here: thin and thick. The thin poha is perfect for chivda and upma and doesn’t require soaking—rinsing in a sieve is enough to hydrate it. The thick variety, however, needs soaking. After soaking, drain the water and let the poha rest so it becomes moist but not soggy.
I followed the same low-oil approach as yesterday’s beets vadai and used a paniyaram pan to shallow fry these vadas with very little oil. If you prefer, you can deep fry them—deep-fried vadas will be crisper and richer in flavor. To mask and complement the radish taste, I mixed green chutney into the dough. The chutney adds a tangy, spicy note that balances the radish and elevates the overall flavor. I served the vadas with ketchup, and both my daughter and her friend loved them and finished the batch quickly. Later in the evening I revealed that there was radish inside; they were surprised and delighted that they hadn’t noticed. A small success for sneaking vegetables into kids’ snacks!
Aval Mullangi Vadai Recipe
Makes: 10 vadas
Ingredients
- Thick poha / flattened rice – 1 cup
- Radish – 1 medium
- Semolina / sooji / rava – 2 tablespoons
- Green chutney – 2 tablespoons
- Salt – to taste
- Oil – for shallow frying in a paniyaram pan or for deep frying (optional)
Instructions
- Soak the thick poha in water for about 15 minutes. After soaking, drain thoroughly and set aside so excess moisture is removed.
- Peel and grate the radish. If you like, lightly squeeze out excess moisture from the grated radish, but keep some moisture for binding. Slice onions if you want to add them as a variation.
- In a mixer grinder, pulse the soaked poha to a coarse paste. Do not add water while grinding—just pulse until the poha breaks down but remains slightly textured.
- Transfer the ground poha to a mixing bowl. Add semolina, salt, grated radish, and green chutney. Mix thoroughly to form a thick dough. The semolina helps absorb any extra moisture and binds the mixture.
- Pinch small portions of the dough and roll into compact balls. Flatten them slightly if needed so they cook evenly.
- Heat a paniyaram pan on medium heat. Add a few drops of oil into each mould and place the prepared balls into the moulds. Shallow fry, turning as needed, until the vadas are browned and crisp on all sides. Cook on medium flame so the center cooks through without burning the exterior.
- Alternatively, you can deep fry the vadas in hot oil until golden and crisp. Deep frying will give a different texture and richer taste.
- Serve the aval mullangi vadai hot with ketchup or your favorite dipping sauce. They make a great evening snack or appetizer and are an effective, tasty way to sneak vegetables into kids’ meals.
Tips and variations:
- If the dough feels too wet, add another teaspoon of semolina and let it rest for a few minutes to firm up before shaping the vadas.
- For extra flavor, you can add finely chopped coriander, curry leaves, green chilies, or a pinch of cumin powder to the mixture.
- Adjust the amount of green chutney to control spice and tang; it helps mask the radish aroma and adds a pleasant freshness.
- Serve these vadas with tomato ketchup, mint chutney, or a yogurt-based dip for a balanced snack.
These aval mullangi vadai are a simple, kid-friendly snack that combines the soft texture of soaked poha with the nutritious bite of radish, all tied together by semolina and green chutney for flavor and binding. Enjoy them hot for best taste and texture.