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    Home > Indian Vegan Recipes

    Masala Vadai

    Posted: Apr 16, 2008 ยท Updated: Mar 20, 2022

    Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe
    Masala vada in a plate with toothpicks

    Last week was the Tamil New Year, and that always warrants something special. And what can be more special than crunchy, utterly satisfying deep-fried food?

    I won't lie: although I like to watch what I eat, it is never easy for me to resist the golden deliciousness of foods dunked in bubbling oil. Given my sub-zero willpower around fried foods of any sort, I usually resist temptation simply by not keeping store-bought fried foods around the house.

    But festivals are a great excuse to pull out that cast-iron pan and get some oil on the boil.

    For the new year, Desi suggested masala vadai, one of his favorites.

    Masala Vadai is pretty easy to put together and very versatile. It can be a snack, an appetizer at parties, a light meal, even, with some sambar and chutney.

    You can add some veggies like cabbage or spinach to your vadais to make them more nutritious. But one ingredient is an absolute must if you want the true flavor of a traditional masala vadai: cinnamon.

    I added some saunf and garlic and onion as well-- all traditional ingredients that together bring an exquisite complexity to the flavor of the vadai.

    Looking for more Indian vegan snack recipes?

    • Masala Khakhra
    • Chivda, an Indian snack mix
    • Baked Samosa with Chickpea Filling
    • Punjabi Samosa
    • Bread Pakora

    Masala Vadai Recipe

    Masala vada in a plate with toothpicks

    Masala Vada

    Masala Vada, a crunchy, crispy South Indian snack made with lentils and spices
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Review Recipe
    Course: Snack
    Cuisine: Indian
    Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
    Keyword: Masala Vada
    Servings: 12
    Author: Vaishali ยท Holy Cow! Vegan Recipes

    Ingredients 

    • 1 cup chana dal , soaked at least 2 hours
    • 3-4 one-inch sticks of cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon saunf
    • 10-15 curry leaves
    • 3 red chile peppers (or 1 teaspoon cayenne)
    • 1 red onion , diced
    • 4-5 cloves garlic , minced
    • Salt to taste
    • 2 tablespoon cilantro , chopped
    • Vegetable oil (for frying)
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    Instructions

    • Make Masala Vadai:
    • Put all the ingredients other than the cilantro and the oil into a food processor or blender and process until it comes together in a coarse paste. I ground up my vadai batter quite fine, but you could leave a few visible bits of the dal in there for a more traditional look.
    • Try not to add any water, because you want a stiff batter that you can shape into vadais. If your blender refuses to budge, however, add water 1 tablespoon at a time until it relents. If the batter gets too loose, sprinkle in just enough chickpea flour so the dough holds together.
    • Add the cilantro to the batter and mix in. Check the seasoning and add more salt if needed.
    • Heat oil in a cast-iron or other pan.
    • Make a ball about one inch in diameter with the vadai batter and then flatten between the palms of your hands into a disc.
    • Fry in hot oil until golden brown, about a minute on each side.
    • Serve hot with chutney.
    Tried this recipe?Please leave a comment and recipe rating below!
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    About Vaishali


    Hi! I am so happy you're here. I'm Vaishali, and I've been sharing recipes for delicious vegan food at Holy Cow Vegan since 2007. Every one of the more than 1,000 recipes on this blog has been tried and tested -- and loved -- by my family and I. I hope you will find something here to share with your loved ones. Thanks for stopping by!
    Read more about me here.

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    Comments

    1. Medhaa

      July 14, 2008 at 1:12 am

      5 stars
      Hi Vaishali, I has made them quiet some time back and loved them. They were just like I was used to having though mine were lighter in color. Blogged about it.

      Thank you so much for this recipe.

      Reply
    2. SHUBHA

      April 22, 2008 at 4:27 am

      Thanx a lot vaishali... the post is coming soon will notify u and will also link it back to ur amazing post..blog...thanx again for letting me post this amazing finger licking chutney... i can just eat it as it is.... vadai or no vadai hehehe:P

      Reply
    3. Vaishali

      April 21, 2008 at 5:09 pm

      Chocolatecovered, Thanks! Am still experimenting with the layout, but I promise I'll include the kids on each one I try. They do seem to touch a chord!

      Suganya, I always get them at my local Indian grocery store- I cannot imagine cooking without them! I am not sure where you're based, but just in case you happen to live in the DC area, drop me a line at vaishalihonawar@gmail.com. Cheers.

      Reply
    4. Suganya

      April 20, 2008 at 3:28 am

      Where do you get curry leaves? Its been weeks since I had 'em ๐Ÿ™

      Reply
    5. ChocolateCoveredVegan

      April 18, 2008 at 6:34 pm

      What an adorable new blog layout!

      Reply
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    Vaishali Honawar, Holy Cow Vegan author, profile photo

    Hi, I'm Vaishali! I cook, eat and share easy, tasty and nutritious plant-based recipes from my Washington, D.C. kitchen, but I never fight a craving for samosas or French fries. 

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    Vaishali Honawar, Holy Cow Vegan author, profile photo

    Hi, I'm Vaishali! I cook, eat and share easy, tasty and nutritious plant-based recipes from my Washington, D.C. kitchen, but I never fight a craving for samosas or French fries. 

    More about me โ†’

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