Moong dal vadai

Within an hour of the news of Bal Thackerey's death, the city started shutting down. Shops downed their shutters, vendors abandoned their posts, and even vehicles went off the streets. Fearing the worst, I managed to stock up on very basic essentials like bread and curds, but for the next few days, we managed with whatever there was in the house. Which was not very much.
These vadais were made with batter leftover after making adai (I stretch the truth- kept some aside before making adais), and they tasted really good.

Soak whole moong dal overnight, and drain the water.
Grind soaked moong dal with whole red chillies to taste, and minimal water- the batter should be smooth, but not liquidy. At this stage, I added a bit of rice powder to thicken it, and that added extra crunch to the dish.
Add salt to taste, and a pinch of baking powder, and beat well.
Oil one side of a polythene packet (I used a milk packet), put a ball of batter on it, flatten, and make a hole in the center.
Deep fry till brown and crispy. (I shallow fried on low heat, because I hate having to deal with the left over oil, but it is meant to be deep fried.)

Would have tasted best with coconut chutney, but I had to make do with tomato ketchup.