Oats Vada (ஓட்ஸ் வடை)

Though oatmeal has now become popular as a healthy cereal, I have been trying to incorporate oats in our traditional recipes. This way we can add variety to our menu, as well as make oatmeal more acceptable to our Indian palate. Oats vada is one such attempt; it is tasty, crispy and makes an excellent teatime snack. Just give it a try.

Oats vada batter

Ingredients: (Make 12-15 vadas)

Whole black gram – ½ teacup or 100ml measure

Rolled oats – 1 teacup or 200ml measure*

Green chilies – 1-2 no (adjust to taste)

Onion – 1 no, finely chopped

Pepper corns – ½ teaspoon

Salt – to taste

Curry leaves – a few

Oil – for deep frying

*Use any brand of your choice.

Method: Wash and soak black gram in sufficient water for 6 hours. Later drain the water, and grind soaked black gram with green chilies and salt in to a smooth, spongy mass using the mixer-grinder. Add chopped onion, curry leaves and pepper corns, and mix well.

Roast oats in a kadai on medium flame for 2-3 minutes. Switch off the stove. Once cooled to room temperature, add the roasted oats to the ground batter. Blend well and keep aside.

Oats Vada (ஓட்ஸ் வடை)

Heat oil in a kadai on medium flame; check if the oil is hot enough by dropping a small quantity of batter into it. If the oil is ready, the batter will fry and rise to the surface. Now, shape a handful of batter into a round patty using a wet plastic sheet. Remove the patty from the sheet and drop it gently in hot oil. You may be able to fry 3-4 vadas at the same time. Turn the vadas over and cook on both sides, till they become golden brown. Remove the vadas from oil and place them on paper napkins for the excess oil to drain. Continue to make vadas till the batter is used up fully. Interestingly, these vadas absorb very little oil!

Oats vadas are crispy and can be eaten as such. However, you may serve them with coconut chutney.

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