“Instant Urad- Nachani Biscuit Ambado (Black Gram Dal- Finger Millet Fritters” … my experiment with urad dal flour, to prepare instant bf dishes continues ... needs a little bit more trials for sure as though they turned out soft and delicious, the ground texture of biscuit ambado was not so ... not sure if it is possible to attain with flours … addition of little bit of cooking soda may solve the problem ... but I have not added any, as I am very reluctant to add soda to dishes unless a must … nevertheless I am happy I got to relish these yummy fritters dunked in sambar … and for those who want something instant; yet on the lines of our own dishes this is a blessing ... Yummilicious …
** Biscuit Ambado is a Konkani Saraswat name for Urad Vada wherein the vadas are deep fried in the shape of balls while the batter remains the same as that of vadas. My guess always makes me feel that it is either biscuit ambado that gave way to vadas as the next step innovation prepared by making a center hole or the other way round, as maybe some found making the center hole method difficult so just vent about dropping them in hot oil as balls and gave them the name biscuit ambado. The name too is vague and to date I have not found a satisfactory reason on how it came to be called so. Well, closer to the story of whether the eggs came first or the chicken, the answer lies in how does it matter ??
** What matters is these fritters have captured a place for itself worldwide be it in the form of vadas or biscuit ambado, it is the taste that matters and the willingness to try them out. Most of the innovations in our kitchen are based on the desire to relish food preparing them easily and in lesser time, understandably so too. With globalization, people have now left their nest and settled all round the globe, however it is very difficult to be uprooted completely and food is one thing that pacifies all. When you feed your family with traditional food, the bonding with roots remains and there is some attachment towards one’s own birthplace. Also the coming generations get to learn about the traditions and food habits of their origin.
** The difficulty arises when cooking needs to be done in a particular method to achieve perfection as many a times the results will vary. This happens with all dishes and not just vadas, I am writing this only cause one should adapt to changes that are inevitable in life. If for some reason like lack of time or health issues one is facing issues going through tedious process of preparations, then it is best in the interest of self to try changing methods in preparations. Like this biscuit ambado, it would have turned fantastic with a rate of above 100% had it been prepared with the usual soaking, grinding dry method, but then I tried it out using easily available floor and the result is very close to original, say about 85%.
** The 15% lack in texture is something negligible considered to completely not preparing and relishing ambados or giving up on them if unable to go through grinding process. Having spondylitis and now back pain, for me it becomes difficult to grind using the grinding stone though I have been using mixer grinder successfully for past 5 years. But then when my friends and me were discussing issues women’s face during one of our meeting, my friend suddenly blurted out “I miss biscuit ambado” as she being single found it impossible to prepare the same at home for just one person. She also mentioned that in Mumbai there are hardly places where we get biscuit ambado and its always vada sambar that too not GSB style.
** That set my mind into my usual overnight thinking mode and for a few days all I did think, off course she could soak just half a cup and do the needful, but most of the time when a person stays alone the desire to eats crops up only to disappear having to do it all and eat it alone and I understand those sentiments very well. Also with the current trend of enjoying all the benefits when a person is hale and hearty, but not lending out a helping hand when the person ages makes vary about extending a helping hand, as we see it happening all round. That is not to say that kind persons are not existing anymore, there are millions of them, but here I am speaking about a person’s psychology, the fear of a mind playing games.
** As, I myself face lot of health problems, there are days when at times I am unable to even cook, while there are also days when I go about doing a dozen work in a single day, I thought that I too must find a way as some years down the lane, I felt hubby and me may face exactly the same situation of wanting to relish something but unable to do so. Hubby had always been advising me to cut down on work by using flour method for dosa, but I just brushed it aside that it was not the same, finally he just went ahead and brought half a kg of urad dal flour and gave me for trial basis. The first I tried was Vadas with addition of finely chopped cabbage and it turned out great, though would have turned fluffier had I added cooking soda.
** Here I want to mention that for most of the instant dosas or vadas everybody seems to be adding cooking soda, which I am very hesitant to add and I strongly prefer food without them, though I am ok about adding it once in a way, but on daily basis just to have a instant food, no way do I want to give that a try, at least as of now, I may in future, as I really do not know what future holds for us. It is my experience that it is always best to move with the flow, as the more you resist the more the situation arises making you helpless. This is absolutely not written to discourage anybody, it is each ones choice as per one’s own preference. I have not added soda here and I got about 85% results, maybe with addition it would go closer to 95%.
** So, if its ok with you just go ahead and add it, after all we relish cakes, buns, bread etc. all the time and they do add in the same, so there is nothing harmful in it, I just love limiting it, that’s all. So for fermented effect, I added on curds, but will be going ahead with a few more steps I have in mind in near future, let’s see how that turns out, till then enjoy this one with your family and friends if you want to relish instant biscuit ambado and really cannot spare the time, effort etc. in going about the whole laborious method. I am enclosing a few links for easier understanding of procedure of step by step methods etc. at the bottom of this recipe, do check them out if you are new to this snack and try them out, it is sure to be loved by all.
** Here is my simple method of preparing “Instant Urad- Nachani Biscuit Ambado (Black Gram Dal- Finger Millet Fritters” using urad dal flour and nachani flour ….
** Note : I have used both Urad Dal/ Black Gram Dal Flour and Nachani/ Finger millet flour from flour mill where we get all types of flours readily available.
** Add 1.5 cups of urad dal flour (Black gram dal powder), into a mixer grinder with salt (namak/ meeta) to taste and about ¼ cup of water along with 2-3 tblsp of curds (dahi) and run the mixer on low mode, stopping and mixing the batter with a spatula often. If too thick keep adding water little by little as you grind, till you get a thick paste.
** Now add in ½ cup of nachani (finger millet/ ragi) flour and continue grinding again adding water little by little till you get a thick paste similar to that of the batter prepared for Vadas. Let the batter stay in mixer for about an hour or so. The last time I had prepared I have let it stay for 5-6 hours hoping it will ferment a little bit, but I had found no difference, so this time I did not keep it that long.
** However, there is no harm in keeping it aside for a few hours if you are not in a hurry and have enough time. After the stipulated time, add 2 tblsp of rice flour (tandla pitti) to the urad- nachani ground mixture allowed to rest in mixer and once again run the mixer on low mode sprinkling once or twice water only if necessary until the batter turned soft and fluffy.
** Note : If your mixer grinder motor is of lesser Volts, it may trip, in which case remove the batter into a deep vessel and then add the rice flour and mix using a whisker or electric beater for a few minutes. Addition of rice flour towards the help helps in two ways, first you will be able to thicken the consistency of the mixture and second you will get crisp biscuit ambados.
** Remove it into a bowl, add some finely chopped curry leaves (karbevu/ kadipatta), pinch of hing (asafoetida), one inch of grated ginger (alle’/ adrak), 5-6 finely chopped green chillies and mix well in clockwise direction for a few minutes. If you want add ½ tsp of cooking soda now and mix well, I have not added any, but adding will give more fluffier vadas.
** Now the batter for preparation of “Instant Urad- Nachani Biscuit Ambado (Black Gram Dal- Finger Millet Fritters” is ready, if you know the process of preparing the biscuit ambados then just go ahead and drop lemon sized balls into hot oil and fry evenly till done. However, if you want a proper understanding of the procedure of the frying method you can check out the link given below for the same.
** “Instant Urad- Nachani Biscuit Ambado (Black Gram Dal- Finger Millet Fritters” are done and ready to be served. Always serve them fresh and hot with some sambar/ chutney/ pickle of your choice. Children will love to relish these fritters that are spongy and yummy and I am sure so will members of all ages of your family. Nachani is good for health, so keep adding them in different forms into your dishes and reap in the benefits.
** I am sharing below the link for the method of preparing traditional biscuit ambado. The same texture of batter is required for all ambados or vadas too. The link below includes picture of the batter texture and dried urad biscuit ambado pictures with details of deep frying. The method to be carried out is same without any difference, hence I am sharing the link for proper guidance...
** Also sharing a common link to all biscuit ambado posted in the blog before, you may browse through the same for more knowledge and ideas or combos of preparations.
** If you find any difficulty in following the procedure or unable to know the procedure or you have any query, you can send in a mail or write in the comment section and I will try my best to get back in time or you can also check out any you tube video on the subject for a fair idea of deep frying, whichever way you choose, do try these out in case you do not want to go about the laborious process of preparing the same using soaking and grinding method.
** My thoughts on these matter are that, It is definitely a good choice to adapt to different modes of preparations than to succumb to outside food which is not at all healthy. Frankly, we never know what goes into them, while once in a way it is fine, it is not to be encouraged on daily basis. Relishing these even if there is minute difference is best option, than not eating it at all, with practice you will definitely gain perfection.
** I am aiming for perfection using flour method, which will definitely need more trials as I want to go ahead with dosas and other dishes too. More to come, so keep a keen watch out on my blog, let’s make life a bit easier and happier for all by adapting to new methods, if for some reason we are unable to stick to traditional ones, though I still endorse them to the best ones when it comes to vadas, dosas, Idlies, etc.
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Thanks.