The preparations start previous night. Start by washing the Kuvalo or ash gourd under running water, paying close attention to remove any dirt or residue, including the white powdery coating often found on its surface. Next, for easier handling, cut the ash gourd into large, manageable pieces. Then, carefully peel away the thick outer skin from each piece. Alternatively, some prefer to retain the skin, if you're one of them, simply proceed to the next step.

Use a spoon or your hands to scoop out the seeds and the soft, spongy pulp from the center of each section. Now, slice them into smaller pieces. I find the easiest way is to just toss them into a chopper and give it a few pulses. This breaks them down into nice little chunks, which is how we like them in our vadyo. Some prefer to grate the ash gourd instead, which makes it really fine. For Kuvalyacho Vadyo, the ash gourd can be prepared by grating or by chopping.

After chopping the ash gourd, I placed a strainer over a large vessel to drain the excess liquid. Since my chopper is small, I worked in batches. Once you have chopped the entire ash gourd, place it over another vessel to drain. Squeeze out as much water as possible.

Place a strainer containing the chopped ash gourd over another vessel. Cover the strainer and let the ash gourd sit at room temperature overnight. Reserve the drained liquid from the ash gourd to soak the red chilies. I prefer to keep these soaked red chilies in refrigerator overnight. Additionally, rinse the urad dal and soak it in sufficient water at room temperature overnight.

First, prepare the table by covering it with clean plastic. Next, take a small amount of batter and drop it in small, round portions onto the plastic-covered surface. My family helps me with this and its fun when they're around. You have to sun-dry these vadyo for 5 days.

After sun-drying them for a day, bring them indoors in the evening, and continue to dry them under the ceiling fan. The following morning, resume sun-drying. After 5 days of sun-drying, store them in an airtight container. It stays good for a year. Store it in a dry place, and handle it with dry hands.