Masala Vada, aromatic, crisp and spicy lentil fritters, the Indian falafal. I have slightly modified this recipe by adding flax seeds.
Ingredients to Make 25 Masala Vada
- ½ cup tur dal
- 1 cup chana dal
- 1 cup urad dal
- 2 medium onions
- 3 green chillies
- 1-inch piece fresh ginger
- 1 cup freshly chopped coriander leaves and tender stems
- 1 cup freshly chopped dill
- 1 heaped tablespoon flax seeds (optional)
- salt to taste
- 2 cups vegetable oil, for deep-frying
- Bowl of water for dipping fingers
How to cook Masala Vada
- Wash and drain the 3 dals together. Repeat till the water is clear. Soak in a bowl of water for three hours.
- Drain and set aside, covered.
- Chop 1 onion into quarters. Chop the other in half and cut into thin slices. In a food processor, coarse grind the dals with the quartered onion, green chillies and ginger, without adding water. Empty into a bowl.
- Mix in the sliced onion, coriander, dill, salt and flax seeds, if you are using them.
- Taste for salt.
- Divide and shape the ground mix into 25 balls. Set aside, covered.
- Heat the oil in a wok on medium heat.
- Wet your fingers and palms in the bowl of water. Pick up 1 ball of mix, place it in the palm of one hand, gently pat with the fingers of the other hand, lift and slide it into the hot oil. Slide in 6 to 8 at a time and fry to a golden brown, turning over a couple of times.
- Drain in a colander.
- Increase the heat to medium-high after frying each batch of vadais, but halfway through, lower the heat. The idea is that in the process of frying, the crust should not brown too soon, leaving the inside uncooked.
- Serve hot or at room temperature.
Chef Tip
- The masala vada should be crisp on the outside and cooked soft in the inside.
Tomato Mint Chutney
A fresh-smelling and visually appealing, this chutney pairs well with Masala Vada , rice and Indian bread as well. I use the chutney as a sandwich spread too.
Ingredients to Make 1 Cup
- 3 tablespoons oil
- 1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
- 2 medium-size ripe tomatoes, chopped
- 1 cup loosely packed mint leaves
- 3 dried red chillies
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon asafoetida powder
- 2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup chopped coriander leaves
- salt to taste
- 1 teaspoon sugar
How to make Tomato Mint Chutney
- Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan on medium heat.
- Lower heat and add mustard seeds, and when they stop popping, add chopped tomatoes and other ingredients.
- Stir and cook to a thick sauce. Cool.
- Grind in a blender to a smooth chutney. You could also pulse a couple of times to leave a few chunks of tomatoes. Scrape out all the ground chutney with a spatula. Stir and taste for salt.
- Will stay fresh for 3 days if refrigerated.
Chef Tip
- A small stone mortar and pestle works well for me for grinding small quantities.
I hope you enjoy Masala Vada with Tomato Mint Chutney a delicious combo.
