1. Wash and soak urad dal overnight or minimum 4 hours.
2. Drain the water and grind dal into a thick batter. If you find dal to be too thick, add half cup  of water (little at a time ) to make it grind easily.
3. Transfer the batter into a large bowl and salt and cumin seeds. Beat the batter for 5-6 minutes in a bowl.
4. Heat a panniyaram pan / appe pan /Aeblesikver pan and add few drops of oil in each cavity of the pan.
5. When the pan is hot lower the flame on low to med .Take a spoon and pour the batter in each cavities or you can pour all the batter or pour the batter in a  zip-lock bag ,seal it and snip from one corner & pour the batter into each section of the pan.
6. Turn the heat to med to high.
7. When the  batter  puffs up, turn them with the help of a wooden stick. When cooked remove it from the pan.
8. In a separate bowl, add lukewarm water and salt . Soak the vada in saltwater for 5 minutes  Press the vada and remove the water and transfer onto a plate.
9. Add sugar and rock salt in the yogurt and whisk it.
10. Pour yogurt on top of the vada. Sprinkle the  roasted cumin powder , red chill powder , Drizzle tamarind chutney ,green chutney  and some chopped cilantro and sev.
11. Ready to Enjoy!

How to fry the vada

Heat oil in a pan for deep frying on high. Test oil temperature by drooping a small drop of the batter into the oil. It should rise to the top immediately that means the oil is ready for frying. If the oil is not hot, the vadas will soak oil making them greasy.

With a help of spoon add the batter in the hot oil. Turn the temperature to medium. Fry on medium heat till the vada has become golden brown.

when they are done .Drain and remove them on absorbent paper to soak the excess oil . follow the instructions from 8 mentioned above