Ingredients

 

For the fritters 

Masoor dal 3/4th of a cup washed clean and soaked overnight

Gram flour 1 tbsp roasted

Egg 1

Onion 1 medium chopped

Green chill 2 whole

Ginger 1/2” piece

Salt 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder 1/4th tsp

Oil 2 tbsp

 

For the gravy

Onion 1 medium chopped

Tomato 1 medium chopped

Raisins 1/4 th of a cup

Curd about 2tbsp

Ginger paste 1 tsp

Garlic 3 to 4 cloves crushed

Bay leaf 1

Green cardamom 3 to 4

Cloves 3 to 4

Cinnamon 1” stick

Cumin seed 1 tsp

Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

Red chilli powder 1 tsp

Cumin powder 1/2 tsp

Corriander powder 1 tsp

Garam masala powder 1/2 tsp

Black pepper powder 1/2 tsp

Salt 1 tsp or as per taste

Sugar 1/2 tsp

Oil 2 tbsp

 

Procedure

making the fritters 

• take the masoor dal, ginger piece and green chillies in a grinder, grind them to a coarse paste and empty the mixture in a mixing bowl. Do not make a smooth paste
• In it add chopped onions, salt, turmeric powder, gram flour and mix well. Now add the egg in it and again give a good mix
• heat a frying pan at medium flame. Once the pan gets heated, add oil into the pan
• once the oil gets heated, take small portions of the mixture and place them on the pan, flattening them a little from top and maintaining little gaps between them. Do not overcrowd the fritters
• shallow fry the fritters flipping them at regular intervals until the turn light golden. Do not over fry them or they will not allow the juice of the gravy to enter them, remaining hard in the gravy
• once the fritters gets fried, take them out of the pan and keep aside

 

Making the gravy

 

• Place a kadhai on the oven at medium flame and let heat. Once hot add in the oil and after heating add in the cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, cumin seeds, bay leaf, a pinch each of turmeric and red chili powder  and sauté for few seconds
• now add the chopped onion and fry them until they turn golden brown
• now add the chopped tomatoes and keep frying till the tomatoes are mushy
• at this point add the ginger garlic and saute till the raw smell dissapears
• then add in it all the powdered masala and a tbsp of water and roast the all masala for few seconds and then add the salt and give a good mix. By the time the masala is getting roasted, take the curd and sugar in a bowl and beat them with a little water to get a smooth texture
• once the masala gets roasred well and oil appears from the side, switch off the flame and add the curd mixture in it by constant stirring
• now switch on the flames once again and let the masala cook for about 1/2 a minute. At this point add the raisins and mix well and add about 3/4 cup of water and stir
• once the gravy starts boiling, reduce the flame, cover and let the gravy simmer for about 5 to 7 minutes. Do not let the gravy to become too thick. Remember that the fritters will absorb some juice from it
• now remove the cover, check the consistency of the gravy and add in the fritters, mix them gently with the gray and cover and cook for about few seconds and switch off the flames
• let the curry rest for few seconds and then serve hot with rice, roti, puri, kulcha or naans