Vathal is one of those ingredients that rewards a little patience. A quick rinse before frying helps remove any surface dust, though most of ours are clean enough to use straight from the pack.
For a simple side dish, deep-fry the vathal in hot oil for a few seconds until it puffs and turns golden — don’t walk away, as it goes from perfect to burnt quickly. Drain well and serve alongside curd rice or sambar rice.
For vatha kuzhambu, the vathal is usually fried lightly in oil with mustard seeds and curry leaves before the tamarind base is added, letting it soak up the gravy as it cooks. Sundakkai and manathakkali vathal work especially well this way.
If you’re short on time, even a quick stir-fry with a touch of oil, turmeric, and salt turns most of our vathal varieties into a ready side dish in under five minutes.