Masala Vada Recipe
Masala Vada is a very simple snack recipe, yet tastes heavenly when done right. It can be a standalone snack or a part of a multi-course meal but sure to be a showstopper.
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time30 minutes mins
Soaking Time4 hours hrs
Total Time4 hours hrs 40 minutes mins
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Indian
Diet: Vegan
Allergen: Dairy free, Gluten free, Soy free
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 6
Calories: 166kcal
- 1 ½ cup Channa dal
- 1 Onion
- 1 strand curry leaves optional
- 2 strand cilantro
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 3 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 green chili
- Salt to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Oil for frying
Soak the Chana dal for 4 or more hours. Drain the water completely. Except for a little bit of the soaked dal, blend the rest of the chana dal without water and make a coarse paste. Mix in the paste with the soaked chana dal.
Add the black pepper, red chili powder, chopped green chilies, grated ginger, chopped onions, chopped curry leaves(optional), salt to taste, and chopped cilantro to the dough and mix well. Make a 2" ball and press gently with your palms to flatten it.
In a medium frying pan, deep fry the vadas until you see a golden brown texture. When you drop them in oil, the heat should be on high. Simmer the heat after you drop 4-6 vadas (depending on the pan size) and deep fry them in medium flame until they turn golden brown on both sides. Drain the excess oil in a paper towel. Masala vada is ready!
- If you do not soak for enough time, vada could turn too hard and too crispy.
- As a subtle variation, Rice flour or sooji can be added to make them crisper.
- No need to add excess water while blending the chana dal.
- Green chilies can be replaced with red chilies.
- For extra flavor, add chopped garlic and/or mint leaves.
Note: The nutrition values I show here are my best estimates. Please be sure to check your preferred nutrition calculator, if you are relying on accurate calculations in your diet.
Calories: 166kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 7mg | Potassium: 64mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 101IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 2mg