I love having this masala vada with tea on rainy evenings. Try it at home once and you will keep making it again and again! It is one of my favorite snacks made at home.
This delicious snack has Bengal gram as its main ingredient. Bengal gram is also called Split chickpeas.
My mother-in-law makes them so well! I got this recipe from her 🙂
Masala Vada Recipe

Ingredients
General:
- Onion – 2
- Curry leaves – 10
- Coriander leaves – handful
- Fennel seeds (Sompf) – 1 tsp
- Oil – 300 ml
To grind:
- Chana Dal (Bengal Gram)
(Pattani parupu/split chickpeas/Shanaga pappu/Gram dal) – 2 cups
- Ginger – 1 small piece
- Garlic – 1 small pod
- Fennel seeds (Sompf) – 1 tsp
- Cinnamon (Patta/Dalchin chakka) – 2 small pieces
- Cloves (Grambu/lavangam) – 6
- Red Chillies – 4
- Salt – as needed
Method
- Soak the bengal gram dal for 2 hours.
- Grind the dal coarsely with all the ingredients mentioned for grinding, without adding water (this is very important, if needed, just add a few spoons of water).
- You should be able to make small balls from the batter. If it is too watery, add a few teaspoons of rice flour or semolina(upma rava) to get the right consistency to make balls.
- Mix chopped onions, curry leaves, coriander leaves and sompf in the batter.
- Heat oil in a deep-bottomed pan and keep it on medium flame.
- Make small balls out of the batter and tap them flat with your palms.
- Fry the vadas in the oil till they turn crisp brown and the vadas are ready.
- Enjoy the hot vadas and have a great time!
Also read: More vegetarian snack recipes
Tip: Add semolina/Sooji bansi/upma rava for extra crispness or if your batter is a little watery.
My favorite brand for this chana dal is 24 Mantra Organic Chana Dal.
I like this Nonstick Dishwasher Safe Oven Safe Saute Pan for cooking.
I use this Prestige Pressure Cooker for cooking.
I hope you enjoy this 🙂
Also read: Simple Coconut Chutney Recipe

Join the Facebook Group South Indian Veg Food Recipes for more yummy veg recipes!
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Gosh this looks yum! My husband is Indian and I am vegan so it’s the best of both worlds if I make this for us haha! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Wow, that is lovely to hear!!
Oh my goodness, these look so delicious! We’re having a street party soon and I just might have to try making these!
xo Jaime
That is so great.. Enjoy!
Thanks for sharing this recipe. I’ve not heard of this before.
Try it.. You will like this. 🙂
Oh this look delicious. I think I might give this a try as they would make a nice treat, thanks for sharing, Chloe.
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