AAVADALU- PERUGU GARELU- DAHI VADA IN ANDHRA STYLE

Aavadalu or perugu garelu are deep fried urad dal dumplings in spicy curd mixture is one of the famous dish in Andhra predesh.
Yogurt or curd both are dairy products made by fermenting the milk with live culture (bacterial fermentation of milk). From 4,500 years people are making and using curd as a ingredient in there every day diet. Many people have a doubt is the curd and yogurt both are same? In my view both are same only the name is differet. In India it is well known as curd which is the name given by English people. I think only difference in between curd and yogurt is the way water is removed from the curd and blended in to smooth texture is yogurt and some times they add some fruits and flavors also to yogurt. Curd is a as it is product which is fermented the warm milk by adding previous curd or live culture, it is nutritionally rich in protein, calcium, riboflavin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12.In India it is well known in Indian names asDadhi in sanskrit
Dahi in Hindi
Perugu in Telugu
Thair in Tamil
Mosaru in Kannada
doi in Assamese and bengali
dohi in oriya
thyair in malayalammaking curd is a every day work at my place.after my dinner i warm up 1/2 liter milk and add a tab sp of previous curd mix well and close the bowl with a lid and i just leave that bowl in a warm place for over night to set fresh curd for tomarrow.like in many parts of india in andhra also meals often conclud with perugu.it has been belived to aid in digestion and to help relive acid reflux.curd is widely used to treat diarrhea and dysentery.curd mixed with sugar acts as an excellent body coolant and instant energizer it also quenches thirst.in my childhood my mom use to make us to swallow 1 taps of fenugreek seeds with tab sp curd for our stomach upset and it works realy very fast.we use a lot curd in our cooking for marinating meat and making majjiga pulusu(kadhi), perugu pachadi(vegetables mixed with spicy curd), daddhojanam(curd rice), majjiga mirapakayalu(sundried curd chilies, and a very special and my all time favorite dish aavadalu(perugu vadalu or perugu garelu) well known as dahi vada in andhra style and here I go with the recipe……
FOR CURD MIXTURE:---
sour curd – 4 cups(nearly 1 lit.)
ginger and green chili paste – 1 tab sp
oil -- 1 tab sp
mustard seeds – 1 tea sp
urad dal – 1 tea sp
broken red chilies – 2 no.
cumin seeds – 1/2 tea sp
asafoetida – 1/4 tea sp
curry leaves – 12 leaves
turmeric powder – 1/4 tea sp
salt to taste
METHOD:---
1. Make sure that curd should be little sour.
2. Beat curd well and smooth
3. Now add ginger and green chili paste (take 2inches pieces ginger and 4 green chilies and gring in to a coarse paste), salt to taste, turmeric and mix well
4. Heat oil in a pan add mustard seeds let them popup then add urad dal, broken red chilies, cumin seeds, curry leaves,asafoetida and add this seasoning to curd mixture mix well and leave a side.
FOR GARELU:----
urad dal- 1 cup
salt to taste
oil for deep frying
METHOD:---
1. Soak 1 cup urad dal for enough water for 4 hours and drain all the water and grind in to a smooth paste,don't add water, if you feel diffecult in grinding then add very little water (1 tab sp),add salt to taste and mix well
2. Heat oil in adeep frying pan
3. Now wet your hand lightly, take small portion from the urad dal paste,
place it on a plastic sheet and make small circle and make a hole in the middle with your finger
4. Now care fully drop vada in to hot oil keep the flame in low and fry till nice golden coler(do this process till you finish the urad dal paste)
5. Now remove from oil and drop the garelu in to curd mixture
6. Let them soak for 15 min to 1/2 hour then serve.