Vada is a savoury fritter-type snack from south India.  Vada is made with mung daal which is soaked overnight and pureed in a food processor with the herbs and then deep fried.  You can use a soup spoon, your fingers or a falafel maker to shape the vada..  Although vadas are deep fried, the finished product should not be too oily if prepared correctly, since steam build-up within the vada pushes all oil away.

Vadas are a snack food served with Amli(tamarind chutney) and coconut chutney.  It can also be served with chana batata.  Vada  tastes  good eaten freshly fried, while still hot and crunchy.

At home vada and passion fruit juice was a Saturday morning snack at small cafes.

Ingredients

• 2              cup mung daal with skin
• 1              medium onion
• 2              tsp green masala
• 1/2           tsp salt
• 6              cups vegetable oil  for frying

Directions

1. Soak daal overnight in  6 cups of cold water.
2. Remove husks by rubbing, and washing several times with several changes of water.  Drain.
3. Blend drained daal in a food processor.
4. Blend onion in a food processor and add to the daal mix.  Add rest of the ingredients and mix well.
5. Heat oil in a karia or a deep frying pan to medium hot.  The oil is ready when, if you put the handle of the wooden spoon in oil and bubbles start to form around  the spoon.  You can use a falafel maker,  or a spoon to slide the mixture into the oil.  You can use your damp hands to form a 1” ball and make round wadas or  flattened slightly into a patty.
6. Fry on both sides  until golden brown.  The wada will puff up.  Drain on paper towel.
7. Serve with coconut chutney and tamarind chutney.