Masala Vada, a crunchy, fried snack, is a popular dish in Southern India. These delicious fritters are made from protein-rich split chickpeas (chana dal), along with chopped onions, fresh dill, garlic, green chilies, and a mix of spices.
They are excellent to alongside rice and dal (lentil soup) and Idly and chutney. They also make a wonderful evening snack, especially when paired with hot chai or tea.
While the traditional method of cooking these vadas is by deep-frying, you can achieve the same delicious taste and crunch by shallow-frying them. This method uses much less oil, which is why I prefer it. Just ensure that the vadas are as thin as possible for even cooking and extra crunch.
These high-protein fitters are versatile and can be included in rice bowls, salad bowls, wraps, served over Greek yogurt, or with your favorite dips.
Our family loves these masala vadas, and I make them frequently! They are easy to prepare, toddler-approved, and perfect for meal prepping. You can batch-make the lentil mixture and refrigerate it for up to a week, frying it just before serving. If you prefer to avoid using oil entirely, you can also air-fry them.
I hope you try this recipe and enjoy it as much as we do!
Ingredients
For blending:
- 1.5 cups (250g) chana dal/split chickpeas soaked for 2 hours and drained
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 green chilies Optional. You can skip this if you don't prefer heat or want it to be toddler-friendly
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
For mixing:
- 1/2 medium white onion finely chopped
- 1 cup dill with stem thoroughly washed and finely chopped
- 1 cup shredded carrot
- salt to taste
For Frying:
- oil just enough for shallow-frying
Instructions
- Soak and Drain: Wash chana dal under running water then soak it in fresh water for 2 hours. Drain the water completely.
- Blend: Transfer the soaked and drained chana dal into a blender. Add to it – garlic, green chilies, and garam masala, and blend into a coarse paste.
- Mixing: Transfer the coarse mixture into a large mixing bowl. Add to it – chopped onions, shredded carrot, dill, and salt. Mix it really well.
- Frying: Make golf-sized balls of the mixture. Then flatten each ball and shape them into small patties. Heat oil in a flat-bottomed pan on medium heat. Carefully drop each patty into the oil and fry them until golden brown on both sides. Remove them onto a tissue or paper towel to remove excess oil.
- Serve: Serve with a rice bowl, a salad bowl, or just enjoy them as with your favorite dip!
Video
Notes
- Drain water completely from soaked Chana dal, else the mixture will become soggy.
- If the mixture becomes soggy, add about 1 tbsp of chickpea flour or rice flour and mix well.
- You can either blend green chilies or finely chop them and add them to the mixture while adding onions and dill.
- Add dill generously. More dill = More tastier the vada!
- You could store the vada mixture in the refrigerator and make fresh vada before consuming. Do not refrigerate vada, as they will lose their crunchiness.
If you tried this recipe, let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment below or tagging a picture of your preparation on Instagram @swaadista
Happy cooking, happy eating!
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