This tasty chana dal vada or masala vada or ambode is a popular Indian snack. It is very healthy vegan recipe, that you can make deep fried, in Air fryer or in appe pan.
1cupchana dalSplit Bengal gram or chickpeas or 250 gm.
1onion finely chopped
2-3green chilliesfinely chopped
2tbsp.dill leaves finely chopped
1tbsp.cilantro leavesfinely chopped
a sprig of curry leaves finely chopped
1tbsp.gingerfinely chopped
salt to taste
2tsp.oil for Air frying more for deep frying
Instructions
Soak chana dal for about 4 hours. Drain water from soaked dal and make sure it is dry.
Then coarsely blend the dal in the blender without using water. Leave it slightly coarse. You definitely do not want a paste. So just give a couple of quick blending motions. If some of the lentils remain whole, don't fret. As a matter of fact, that is desirable.
Now take out this coarse semi-paste in a container. Add finely chopped ginger, chillies, onion, cilantro, dill and curry leaves with salt to lentil batter. Add everything together and mix with your hand so that it is uniformly distributed. Now make small flat balls using your hands.
Use a little oil or water on your palms if the mix sticks though it generally doesn't.
For Air frying
Preheat Air fryer to 180 C or 360 F for 5 minutes. Brush Air fryer basket with oil and line the vadas on it. Brush with oil and cook for about 10 minutes.
Turn the vadas in the middle and brush again with oil. Now crank up the temperature to 200 C or 390 F and cook for 4-5 minutes more till the vadas are golden brown. Take them out and serve hot.
For Deep frying or cooking in Appe pan
To deep fry heat the oil to high heat. I use mustard oil because I love its taste but you can use any vegetable oil you like. Deep fry till golden brown ensuring that you reduce the heat to medium high else the outside will be brown too soon while the inside stays uncooked.
Now drain them out and serve hot with any chutney or ketchup. This is very filling and incredibly delicious. Enjoy.
For appe pan, heat it after brushing the holes with oil. Use a spoon to spoon in vada portions. Lightly brush with oil. Cover and cook on low to medium heat till one side is browned. Flip and apply some more oil and cover and cook. Your golden vadas are ready to serve.
Notes
Make sure that your lentil mash is very dry. Do not use any water when blending the lentils. A slightly coarse mash is fine.
Always add onion and salt only before you are planning to cook else your vada batter will get soggy.
You can make the lentil mash and store in the fridge for a couple of days. Add onion and salt before frying.
Add green chillies as per taste and how much heat you like.
You can use other lentils like moong dal or orange lentils in the same recipe.
If you make thinner vadas, your vadas will be crisper and air frying time will be lower.
You must eat them right away or they lose their crispness.
No need to flip the vadas midway. You can flip them right towards the end of 10 minute cooking at 360 F. The vadas come out easily and do not stick to the basket at this juncture.