Masala Vada

Masala vada is a South Indian festival specialty. My mom is used to make it on festival evenings with khus khus  kheer.It is  a classic combination of sweet and spice. Usually, the initial batch of vada is made without adding onions and chillies so that it can be used for naivaidhyam. There are lot of variations to this type of vada and here is a recipe that has churned out some really good vada.

Ingredients

1 cup channa dal
1/4 cup rice flour
1 big onion finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped coriander leaves
1/4 cup finely chopped mint leaves - optional
1 tsp red chilli powder
4-5 Thai chilly - add  according to your taste
vegetable oil for deep frying
salt to taste

Method

• Soak the channa dal in warm water for about 1 hour.

• Drain out the water and grind it in a mixer with little salt and  without adding any water.Grind till it becomes a partially coarse paste.  Do not grind it into a smooth paste.

• Mix the above channa dal paste, onions, rice flour,  coriander, mint, chopped green chilli, red chilli powder and salt in a big bowl.
  

• Heat vegetable oil in a kadai at medium heat.

• Take small quantity of the mixture and make small round balls out of it. Flatten the balls on your palm and drop it into the kadai for deep frying.

• If the oil is very hot, the outer part of the vada cooks  faster, so cook in medium heat.Ensure that vada is cooked well inside and has turned brownish red on the outside.

Serve hot with chutney or ketchup.