The Closest Thing to Meduvada-Sambhar

Have you ever craved meduvada-sambhar in the US? Do you, like me live in a place that has only North Indian restaurants, and no udipi types? And do you, like me, avoid making it at home, because deep-frying the vadas is a pain?

Here is the closest approximation. Make sambhar at home. That is not too difficult. And then instead of meduvadas, use hush puppies. No, not the shoes, the actual food item the shoe brand was named after. I usually buy them from a Long John Silver's outlet. In texture they are similar, in taste they are passably similar.... in shape they are of course not, because they dont have holes. But then, beggars can't be choosers.

Try dipping hush puppies in sambhar and eating them. Not bad, I tell you.