Masala Vada with chickpeas

This masala vada one of indian fritters is very famous in India. This is one of the street food of India. some times we prepare this crispy masala vadas in our home and here goes the recipe...

masala vada

Ingredients for masala vada:

Split chickpeas (Chana dal) 1 ½ cup.

Green Chilies - finely cut4-6

Curry Leaves ½ cup.

Onion - finely chopped ½ cup

Ginger-garlic pastes ½ tsp.

Coriander leaves chopped ½ cup

Red Chili powder ½ tsp.

Turmeric powder ½ tsp.

Salt to taste

baking soda 1/2 tsp. 
rice flour 2 tsp.

Oil for deep fry

Preparation of Masala Vada:

• Wash and soak chana daal in enough water for about 4-5 hours.
• Drain the water completely and keep 2 tbsp. chana dal aside.
• Grind together red chilies, curry leaves, chana dal. 
• Make a thick coarse paste. Do not add any water. don't make smooth paste.
• Transfer to a bowl chana dal (2 tbsps. which we have kept aside earlier), chopped onion, finely cut green chilies, all other ingredients. Do not add any water.
• Mix well with your right hand. the batter should be like the above image....

• Heat oil in deep wide pan/kadai.
• Mix paste thoroughly and check for taste. Add more salt-chilies if necessary.
• Make lemon size balls with this chana mixture and on wet palm pat them into small patties keeping the center thick and tapering towards the end with approximately 2 inch diameter.
• Once the oil is heated nicely drop these chana patties into it and deep fry them. Fry first one side then the other till golden brown.
• Add about 4-5 depending on the size of the pan at the same time.
• Remove from oil, when done and place on tissue paper to remove excess oil.
• Serve these hot vada with any type of chutney or sauce or ketch up.