The image of Chaatambades or dal vadas on Page 60 of Chef Hari Nayak’s book My Indian Kitchen had me apply my brakes and freeze on the spot. Going back into the flash back, I remembered the good old days of my childhood where I would ask our maid servant to buy me some of those Chaatambades from the street vendor around the corner of our street. She would make sure that my dad was not around and then quickly dart to the vendor, buy some and hand it to me with great pride. The smile and glee on my face made the whole effort worth it for her. I craved for these vadas only during the rainy season. The runny coconut chutney that came with it was absolutely delicious. I loved eating these hot vadas while my nose was dipped into the various books I used to read as a kid. I would rarely venture out to play with anybody. I was as quiet as a mouse and always kept to myself. My best friends were books. So what on earth is Chaatambada? Well, Chaatamabadas are lentil based hot, fried snacks which originate from the lovely region of Udupi in Karnataka. It is made with split yellow peas also known as Channa Dal.

The image of the chaatambades from Hari’s book just made me crave for them. The San Antonio sun was gleaming down upon us which was a total contrast to Hari’s lovely write up about the monsoon season from his beloved hometown Udupi. I loved the little story he had written above the recipe. The imagery it created in my head was so lovely. Moving on to the recipe, Hari mentions adding either dill or spinach leaves to the chaatambadas. I love these two varieties of greens very much. Fortunately, I had some fresh baby spinach leaves in the fridge. I immediately set about following the recipe. The funny thing about my culinary journey was that I had attempted most types of vadas, but never once had I ever attempt to make my favorite Chaatambadas. This was my first attempt and I was very excited to follow Hari’s recipe. I did make one change and recommend that you do it too. Add a few cloves of garlic, you’ll love it. I’m aware that Udupi Brahmins usually do not add garlic to this vada. My grandmother never did, but my MIL swears that if she would ever willingly eat garlic in any dish, it would be in the Chaatambada only. I love garlic anyways and add it to almost everything that I cook. Hence chaatambada dough was no exception. Hari was surprised that I had never made Chaatambadas before and that this was my first attempt ever! The Chaatambadas turned out to be extremely delicious and crunchy. I made the coconut chutney Hari suggested in the book. I followed his recipe for the chutney but did not add cilantro as my hubby prefers his coconut chutney to be white and not green.

Total Prep time: 90 minutes, which includes soaking of lentils (I soaked the lentils for 2 hours)

Cook time: 15 minutes

Serves 4

• 2½ cups (425 g) dried chana dal (yellow split peas)
• ½ lb (250 g) fresh spinach, washed, stemmed and finely chopped
• 1 red onion (about 1/3 lb/150 g), minced
• 2 fresh green chili peppers, minced
• One 1-in (2.5-cm) piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• 10 fresh or dried curry leaves, minced
• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• Oil, for deep-frying

1. Place the chana dal in a large bowl, cover with water, and set aside to soak for at least an hour. Put the soaked dal into a strainer and drain thoroughly. Transfer the dal to a blender and process for 2 to 3 minutes to a coarse paste without adding any water. It is important that some of the dal remains whole to give the fritters a crispy texture.

2. Transfer the coarse dal paste to a mixing bowl and add the chopped spinach, red onion, green chili peppers, ginger, curry leaves, fresh coriander leaves along with salt. Mix thoroughly to make a thick paste.

3. Divide the mixture into golf ball–size portions and gently roll and press each between your palms to form small, round patties. The mixture should yield about 20 patties.

4. Heat 2 inches of oil in a kadhai, small wok or large saucepan over medium heat to 325°F (160°C) on a deep-fry or candy thermometer. To gauge the temperature of the oil without a thermometer, drop a piece of bread about 1-inch (2.5-cm) square into the oil, turning the piece of bread often as the oil heats up. When the oil reaches 325°F (160°C), the bread will begin to brown quickly and turn golden brown all over—like a crouton—in about 40 seconds. Deep-fry the patties in batches for 5 minutes, or until deep golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Serve hot.