Moong Dal Vada

Moong Dal Vada -

Moong Dal Vadas are also known as pakoras, bhajias or fritters. This is a spicy delicious snack crispy outside and soft inside. Moong dal vada is a popular tasty treat.

Ingredients:

1 cup split wash moong dal (available in Indian grocery stores)
1 cup potatoes boiled peeled and shredded
Approx. 2 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro (hara dhania)
1 green chili minced adjust to taste
1 tablespoon finely grated ginger
1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
1/8 teaspoon asafetida (hing)
1/8 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
Oil to fry

Method:

Wash and soak dal in about 3 cups of water for four hours or longer.
Grind dal coarsely using very little water.
Add all the ingredients to the dal batter, potatoes, cilantro, green chili, ginger, cumin seeds, asafetida and salt, beat the batter for 2-3 minutes this will make the batter light. Add the water if needed, batter should be soft. If batter is too thick Vadas will be hard.
Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium high heat.
The frying pan should have about 1 inch of oil. To check if the oil is ready, put one drop of batter in oil. The batter should sizzle and come up but not change color right away. If oil is very hot vadas will not cook through and will not be crispy.
Place about 1 tablespoon of batter into the oil. Fry the vada in small batches. Fry vadas until golden-brown all around.
Moong Dal Vada should be crispy from outside and should be soft inside.
Serve them with Hari Cilantro Chutney.