Kalmi Vada
Kalmi Vada — crisped to perfection with a soft interior, these chana dal fritters are one of my favorite Holi recipes from back home in Jaipur! With spinach, ginger and chilies for a sharp, spicy taste, these pair perfectly with a cup of adrak chai for an afternoon snack or even to entertain as an appetizer!
Kalmi Vada are a popular Rajasthani snack which are crunchy and crispy from outside, but are super soft and supple inside — and you can even make these in the air fryer for a healthier version!
Ingredients
- 1 cup chana dal (yellow split chickpeas lentils)
- 3 green chilies , roughly chopped
- 1 inch ginger , roughly chopped
- 1 cup spinach , finely chopped
- 2 tbsp cilantro , finely chopped
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tsp fennel seeds (saunf) , coarsely crushed
- 1 1/2 tsp red chili powder
- 1 1/2 tsp coriander powder
- salt , to taste
- pinch asafoetida powder (hing)
- 2 tsp oil
- 2 tsp lemon juice
Instructions
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Soak chana dal for 5-6 hours or overnight. Then, drain and rinse the dal thoroughly and grind it with the ginger, green chilies, and a little bit of water into a thick coarse paste.
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Take out the paste into a large bowl and mix in all the other ingredients.
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Shape the mixture into small flat vadas (cutlets) using your palms.
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Steam them for 15-20 minutes in a greased steamer or idli stand on medium flame.
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Take them out and let them cool for 10-15 minutes. Then cut the steamed vadas in small long strips or into your desired shapes.
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Now, you can either Air Fry them or Deep Fry them. I like them air fryed as it is healthier.
Method 1 - Air Fry : Preheat the air fryer, brush the vadas with oil and then air fry them for 6-8 minutes shaking halfway till they turn golden brown.
or
Method 2 - Deep Fry : Heat oil in a non-stick pan on medium flame and fry the vadas till they turn crispy and golden brown.
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Your Kalmi Vadas are ready! Enjoy them with green garlic cilantro chutney, yogurt beetroot dip and red garlic chutney.