Kuzhambu Vadam

Ingredients:

Urad dal - 1 cup

Black eye peas - 1/2 cup

White pumpkin / Winter melon / Poosani kai  - 1 cup, skin peeled and shredded

Red chilies - 10 or to taste

Asafoetida - 2 tsp

Salt - to taste

Method:

1. Wash and soak urad dal and black eye peas separately with enough water, over night.
2. Next day morning, drain the water from both the dals.
3. Squeeze the water out of the shredded pumpkin and keep it aside.
4. In a food processor add red chilies, asafoetida, both urad dal and black eye peas.
5. Process by adding little water (or use the juice from the pumpkin) at a time until it forms a coarse and thick paste.  Add the shredded pumpkin and pulse couple of times to mix.
6. Transfer the ground dough into a bowl.  Add salt to taste and mix well.

Sun drying:

1. Spread a clean white cloth, plastic sheet or aluminum foil on a clean surface where you get a full sunshine.
2. With a small spoon or by hand drop a quarter size dough on the sheet.  Continue with rest of the dough.
3. Let it dry in the hot sun for couple of days or until both side are completely dried. Make sure to flip after one side is dried.
4. Store it in a air tight container with some dried red chillies.  The red chillies will keep the bugs out.
5. Can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer too.

Uses:

Deep fry the vadam until dark brown and drop it in vatral kuzhambu, dal or kootu for extra flavor.  You can also make sambar with just this fried vadams.