Sepu Vadi (Split Urad Dal Dumplings in Spinach Gravy)
Sepu vadi is a specialty from Himachal Pradesh. Split Black Urad Dal dumplings are first steamed and then deep-fried. They are then added to the Spinach-Curd gravy, that is flavoured with basic spice powders and whole spices. Traditionally the recipe is cooked in mustard oil, but you can use any cooking oil.
Below is a picture of the vadis or urad dal dumplings. On one side are the steamed dumplings and then we have deep-fried them. Do try out the steamed vadis as well (they taste yummmm…). So we kept a few steamed ones to relish and deep fried the rest.
If you are looking for more Indian Curry/Sabzi recipes, then do have a look at other recipes on the blog like –
Kaju Karela
Mixed Vegetables in Spinach Gravy
Bhindi Masala
Sev Tamatar ki Sabzi
Rajma Masala
Pumpkin Sabzi
Sepu Vadi (Split Urad Dal Dumplings in Spinach Gravy)
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Ingredients (1 cup = 240 ml)
For the Dumplings (Vadi)
- ½ cup split black urad dal split black gram
- 1-2 green chillies chopped
- an inch piece of ginger
- salt to taste
- pinch of eno/cooking soda
- ¼ teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon oil for greasing + oil for frying vadis
For the gravy
- 200 grams spinach
- 1 cup curd/dahi
- 1 tablespoon mustard oil/any cooking oil
- 1 broken dry red chili deseeded
- 2 cloves/laung
- 1 cinnamon stick/dalchini
- 2 green cardamom/hari elaichi
- 1 bay leaf/tejpatta
- ½ tsp cumin seeds/jeera
- 1 green chilli cut into 2 pieces or finely chopped
- pinch of asafoetida/hing
- 1 teaspoon coriander/dhania powder
- 1 teaspoon jeera/cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon red chilli powder
- ¼ teaspoon fennel/saunf powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder
- 1 teaspoon dill leaves/suwa
- water as required
- salt to taste
Instructions
For the Dumplings (Vadi)
- Wash and soak urad daal (split black gram) in about 1.5-2 cups water overnight.
- Drain and wash the dal.
- Heat water in a steamer and let it boil.
- In a blender/grinder jar, combine washed and drained urad dal, ginger, green chilli and grind to make a smooth paste adding about ¼ cup water gradually.
- Take the paste in a bowl and add salt. Whisk well till it becomes light and fluffy.
- Add eno and lemon juice and immediately transfer the mixture to a greased plate and steam for about 15-20 minutes.
- Remove from steamer and insert a toothpick to check whether it’s done. If toothpick comes out clean, our vadi is ready. If it doesn’t come out clean, steam for another few minutes.
- Cut the vadis into square pieces.
- Heat oil in a pan and deep fry the vadi pieces till they’re golden in colour.
For the Palak Puree
- Soak Palak leaves in a bowl of salt water for about 5 minutes.
- Remove the stems from the leaves. Roughly chop the leaves.
- Add water in a wide pan and bring to a boil. Then add spinach leaves and cook for 2 minutes.
- Immediately remove and soak the leaves in a bowl of ice cold water for 1 minute. Drain all the excess water.
- In a mixer/blender jar, add blanched palak leaves, dill leaves and about 1-2 tablespoon water and blend till you get a smooth puree.
- Keep the spinach puree aside.
For the Gravy
- Heat oil in a pan. Add dry red chilli, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaf and cumin seeds.
- Once they splutter, add green chilli and hing.
- Now turn off the flame and add jeera powder, dhaniya powder, red chili powder, fennel powder and black pepper powder. Mix well. Turn on the flame and saute for 1-2 minutes on a low flame so that spice powders does not burn.
- Add spinach puree and cook for about 2-3 minutes.
- Now add salt, whisked curd and the fried sepu vadis and let it simmer for 5-6 minutes. At this stage, you may add required quantity of water as per the consistency of gravy you prefer.
- Serve hot with parathas or steamed rice.
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