Masala Vada

MASALA VADA (Pic by June Carvalho)

A perfect tea-time snack for a rainy day evening, crisp and crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside. To make your rainy day evening even more perfect, invite a friend over to share it with, over cups of masala chai and some light-hearted banter. Enjoy!

What you need:

1 cup channa dal 

1 onion chopped

1 green chilli

1 tsp ginger garlic paste

1 clove & 1/2" cinnamon

A fistful of fresh dill, chopped

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

A pinch of asafoetida

Salt to taste

1/4 cup water

Oil to deep fry

Wash and soak the channa dal for about an hour and a half. Set aside one tablespoon of the soaked channa and coarsely grind the rest of the channa with the green chilli, clove and cinnamon, using the quarter cup of water. Remove from the blender. Add all the remaining ingredients including the tablespoon of channa that was set aside.

Heat oil in a deep frying pan or deep-fryer. Take a little mixture at a time (about the size of a lime) and form into round, slightly flattened shapes and slide gently, one at a time, into the heated oil. Fry on medium heat, turning over to fry the other side as well. When brown, lift off with a perforated spoon and drain on absorbent paper. About 15 vadas.