Vada: steamed moong dal vada
Reviewed by Dr Namrata Bagaria, MBBS, MPH (Harvard)Last reviewed
Vada is one of the things people give up when they are told to eat less fried food, and it is a real loss. Steaming the same batter gives you something soft, savoury and satisfying that can be eaten on an ordinary Tuesday rather than saved for festivals.
It is also, because it is mostly dal, one of the higher protein snacks you can make.
Ingredients
- 1 cup split yellow moong dal
- 1 inch ginger, grated
- 1 green chilli, chopped, optional
- A pinch of asafoetida
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 tbsp chopped coriander
- 1 tbsp grated coconut, optional
- Salt to taste
- 1/2 tsp fruit salt (Eno)
- Oil for greasing
Method
- 1
Soak the moong dal for three to four hours. Drain it thoroughly.
- 2
Grind to a thick, coarse paste with as little water as you can manage. Too much water and they will not hold their shape.
- 3
Stir in the ginger, chilli, asafoetida, cumin, coriander, coconut and salt.
- 4
Grease a steamer plate or small moulds. Add the fruit salt to the batter, mix for a few seconds only, and spoon into the moulds at once.
- 5
Steam for twelve to fifteen minutes until firm and a knife comes out clean. Serve warm with coriander chutney.
Good to know
- Grind with as little water as possible. A loose batter gives flat, wet vadas.
- The fruit salt works for seconds, so have the steamer hot and the moulds greased before you add it.
- They keep two days in the fridge and steam back to life in two minutes.
- Serve with a green chutney rather than a sweet one, and with a bowl of curd if you want the protein higher still.