Soak black gram for 4 - 5 hrs.
Wash dal. If unhusked dal is used, remove the husks while washing.
Grind into fine paste sprinkling little water for easy grinding.
When the grinding is half done, add pepper, jeera, ginger and salt.
Continue to grind until the paste is fine and frothy.
While the dal is still being ground, heat oil in a large kadai over a stove.
Take a tablespoon of paste and flatten them into round cakes and drop gently into boiling oil.
In the meantime, grind together coconut, chillies, ginger and salt into a chutney.
Beat the curds and add the chutney into it. Mix well.
Heat oil in a small pan or kadai.
Splutter mustard seeds and saute curry leaves.
Pour it over the curd-chutney mixture. Mix well.
Drop the prepared vadas in it and use when it is fully soaked.
:- The longer the dal is ground the lighter will be the vadas.