Mint Masala Vadai Recipe – Masala Vada

Mint Masala Vadai is a traditional South Indian food commonly prepared at home, it is also popular items in street stalls and in railway stations. Whenever we I make masala vadai at home it always kindles my childhood memories, the trip that we had as a family, lots and lots of train and road trips which use to be so much. My mom & granny use to pack food for the trip and masala vadai will be on the list along with lemon rice, dum idlis, kara chutney’s thuvayals… the list just goes on.

My favorite travel food or snack is masal vadai, that how its colloquially called… hot or cold they taste great any time of the day be it breakfast/lunch or eve snack time. There are few tips & tricks that I learned from my mom which keeps the vadai crispy for little longer, do read the notes on the bottom of the recipe.

This mint masal vadai is just a slight variation to the usual… we add few mint and coriander leaves to the mixture which gives a unique yellow mixed greenish look and taste just like the one sold in tea kadais. With a cup of tea on the side this vadai taste just bliss!

 

Ingredients
Bengal Gram / Kadalai Paruppu	1 cup
Onion	1 /2 cup finely chopped
Dry Red Chili	1
Garlic	5 cloves
Ginger	2 inch (chopped)
Cumin seeds	1/2 teaspoon
Fennel seeds	3/4 teaspoon
Mint leaves	1/4 cup (tightly packed)
Coriander leaves	1/4 cup (tightly packed)
Curry leaves	5-6 leaves
Asafoetida powder	1/4 teaspoon
Turmeric powder	a pinch
Salt	3/4 teaspoon (approx) (adjust as per taste)
Oil	2 cups (for deep frying)

Lets see how to make this mint masala vadai…

Soak Bengal gram for atleast 3 hours in enough water. Drain them in a colander like shown to take of the last bit of water on it. You may spread on a kitchen towel to drain off all the water. Let them sit for a while on the kitchen towel while you work on the other ingredients.

 

In a mixer jar, add dry red chili, ginger, garlic, cumin seeds & fennel seeds. Run on pulse a few times to just grin them. I like to add the garlic with the skin on for the sexy appearance… 😉

This is how to grind… do not to grind as a paste, we need a coarse texture.

Now add the mint, coriander & curry leaves and run the mixer a few times.  Remove the mixture from the jar and keep aside.

Now put the soaked kadalai paruppu/ bengal gram and give the mixer a few pulse. Again we don’t want a paste… grind coarsely as possible with absolutely no water!

Transfer that mixture to a wide bowl, add the mint coriander mixture to it.

Add chopped onion, tumeric, asafoetida powder & salt.

Mix well and keep it ready. Heat oil in a kadai and keep that ready running.

Mix to make a crumbly textured dough and sample a small dough to check the oil temperature, adjust salt and prepare to fry.

Pinch a portion, roll it like a golf ball and flatten it between your palm and gently drop into the oil from the sides of the kadai, without touching it.

Deep fry over medium flame until it turns golden on both sides.

Drain the excess oil by placing them on a paper towel / tissue paper. Serve it in style, like i’ve used a paper for from magazine/ newspaper to give a nostalgic look! Enjoy a few with your favorite chutney on the side.

 

Notes

• Yields about 10- 15 small vadais
• Soaking time is a must for  this recipe. Saok them for atleast 3 hours to yield  a crispy outer and soft inside texture.
• If you cut on the soaking time then the vadai will be very hard.
• Absolutely no water while grinding.
• Red chilies can be replaced with green chilies and add one more if you need it spicy.
• Fennel seeds give a unique flavor to these vadais, do not skip them.
• If your vadai batter turns watery for any matter, add a teaspoon of bengal gram flour.
• Grinding the dal in pulse using a food processor yields crispy vadais and also they stay that way for few hours.
• Those garlic skins gives a beautiful look to these vadais, do try it!

Try our

Vazhaipoo Vadai,

Karamani Vadai

Broccoli Vadai

Beetroot Vadai

 

Masal Vadai / Tea Kadai Masala Vadai / Paruppu Vadai recipe/ How to make Masala vadai? / Mint Masala Vadai Recipe / Split Channa dal Vadai / Masala Vade / Lentil Vadai recipe / Aamai Vadai / Parippu Vadai Recipe / ஆமை வடை / Dal Vadai / Vada recipe