2 Sept 2014

Masala Vadai

This vadai is one of the tastiest and famous tea time snack in South India. For those who don't know, vada or vadai is a savory fritter made from lentils. This specific variety of vada is made from chick peas also known as Channa dal, Bengal gram, Kadalai paruppu. 


Masala Vadai

There are plenty of ways to make this masal vadai and I don't know which is the original version. This is the way we make it in our home and it tastes awesome! I will give the variations in the notes section.

Check out the Medhu Vadai and Thayir Vadai recipe.

Ingredients
  • Channa dal - 1 cup
  • Onion - 1 big (or about 12 shallots)
  • Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
  • Coriander leaves - about 3 tbsp chopped
  • Green chilli - 2 
  • Ginger - half inch piece
  • Garlic pods - about 6
  • Salt - to taste
  • Oil - for deep frying
Masala Vadai

Method
1. Soak the channa dal in water for about 3 hours. After 3 hours, reserve a 1/4 cup of channa dal and blend the remaining dal in a blender along with green chilli, garlic, ginger and salt. 
(First blend the green chilli, ginger and garlic to ensure it is well blended, then add the soaked dal and blend again)

2. Grind it to a coarse paste without adding water. If you have soaked well, you need not add water while grinding.
3. Mix this ground paste with the remaining 1/4 cup of channa dal and onions, chopped curry leaves, chopped coriander leaves.

4. Take a small lemon sized ball of the dough and flatten it in your palm and make small round discs and set aside.
5. Heat oil in a kadai for deep frying. Once the oil heats up, add these round discs, one by one gently into the hot oil. You can add 4 or 5 at a time depending on the size of your kadai.

6.Flip the vada and cook on both sides in medium flame. Once it becomes golden brown remove it and drain in a paper towel. 


Masala Vadai

Notes
1. If your in a hurry you can soak the channa dal in hot water for 1 hour. But make sure the dal is soaked well otherwise the vada won't come out well.
2.  Make sure you shape the vada a little thin, that way it will be crispy. If you make it fat and round then the insides won't get cooked well and it won't be so crispy.
3. Instead of ginger and garlic piece you can add ginger garlic paste.
4. You can also add fennel seeds and mint leaves, it will make the vada more flavorful. Some add cinnamon stick, cloves but I don't like it, the cinnamon and clove makes it over powering. 
5. If you feel the batter is little watery you can add a little rice flour.


Until next time,
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16 comments:

  1. love this crispy vadas ...looks tempting

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  2. wow with a cup of black tea............!pics looks so tempting

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  3. My all time fav too. However adding garlic is something I've never done before. Amazingly good.

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  4. wow beulah it really looks so kool and crunchy :)

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  5. FSV snack.. Crispy yummy vada

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  6. I want to try it once too :) I tend to over grind it :)

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  7. My all time favourite, love to munch some.

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  8. Anytime fav and ours family's too....Looks so crisp and tasty!!!

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  9. Crunchy and tasty vada........ Looks yumm!!

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