Learn to make crispy and flavorful Dal Vada, a South Indian fried savory snack made with lentils like chana dal, and toor dal along with aromatic spices and herbs. Also called Paruppu Vadai, they are crispy on the outside and soft inside. Ideal for tea-time treats or festive celebrations! These lentil fritters are vegan, gluten-free, and nut-free.
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What Is Dal Vada
Masala Dal Vada is a crispy and crunchy South Indian savory snack recipe made by frying a mixture of chana dal, toor dal, and aromatic spices. In Tamil, "dal" translates to "paruppu," which is why this snack is also known as Paruppu Vadai, Kara Vadai, Brahmin Vada, or Aama Vadai (Tortoise Vada) due to its unique shape. Similar to popular snacks like Medu Wada, Moong Dal Vada, and Dahi Vada, these lentil fritters hold a special place in Indian cuisine.
The key ingredients in Masala Vadai recipe are three types of lentils: chana dal, toor dal, and urad dal. These lentils are soaked, coarsely ground with spices, and shaped into flattened balls before being deep-fried to golden, crispy perfection.
Personally, I prefer Dal Vadai over Medu Vada. One of my favorite childhood memories is enjoying hot, spicy Kara Vadai on a rainy day. Parippu Vada is a staple for festive celebrations in our Tamil Brahmin home and is also often served at weddings and other joyous occasions. Today, I am sharing with you my family's Masala Parippu Vadai recipe.
Mixed Dal Vada is also a beloved street food in South India, much like Mushroom Kalan, Sundal, and Masala Dosa. Known as Masala Vada, street vendors often enhance its flavor by adding onions to the mixture. Additionally, like traditional dishes such as Payasam, Sakkarai Pongal, Lemon Rice, Puliyogare, and Curd Rice, Paruppu Vadai is also offered as prasadam in some temples across Southern India, making it a cherished part of both street food culture and religious traditions.
Why Make It
- Naturally vegan, nut-free, soy-free, and gluten-free, making it suitable for various dietary needs
- A delicious way to include lentils in your diet
- Crispy, crunchy, and perfectly fried, this snack is ideal for festive occasions or as a tea-time treat
- Made with simple pantry staples, ensuring ease and accessibility
- Quick and easy to prepare in just 30 minutes, excluding soaking time
Ingredients needed 🧾
Lentils – In this Masala Parippu Vada recipe, we use three types of lentils: chana dal, toor dal, and urad dal. These lentils are commonly available at Indian grocery stores or on Amazon.
Spices – The basic spices required for this Masala Dal Vada recipe include dried red chillies, green chillies, ginger, and gluten-free asafoetida (hing), which add a distinctive flavor to these fried lentil balls.
Aromatics – Adding curry leaves, cilantro, and either regular onions or baby onions enhances the flavor profile of the Masala Chana Dal Vada, giving it a unique and aromatic twist.
Besides these ingredients, you will also need a Mixer Grinder, and a frying pan in this easy Masala Vada recipe.
How to make it 🔪
- Rinse chana dal, toor dal, and urad dal thoroughly. Soak the lentils together in room-temperature water for 45 minutes to an hour (no need to soak longer).
- Once soaked, drain the water completely.
- Add half of the chopped cilantro, curry leaves, ginger, broken green chilies, and dried red chilies to the blender jar.
- Add a handful of the soaked and drained lentils to the jar to help grind the ginger and chilies evenly.
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- Blitz the mixture until the initial ingredients are coarsely ground. Avoid adding any water.
- Add the remaining lentils, cilantro, and a pinch of asafoetida to the grinder.
- Grind coarsely without adding water. If necessary, grind in two batches to ensure even texture. Leave some lentils partially ground to enhance the crispy texture of the Masala Vada.
- Transfer the coarse Chana Dal Vada mixture to a large mixing bowl.
- Add finely chopped onions and salt to the batter, ensuring it’s neither too moist nor too dry. Optional: Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes for crispier vadas. I added 2 teaspoons of salt.
- Heat oil for frying and pour 2 tablespoons of hot oil (or warm vegan ghee/regular ghee) into the batter. Mix well until it resembles a loose dough. Check oil readiness by dropping a small batter ball—if it rises immediately without browning, the oil is ready.
- Shape the batter into lemon-sized balls, flatten lightly, and fry in batches over low flame. Avoid overcrowding and flip only after one side is browned.
- Fry until both sides of the vadas are golden brown and crispy. Transfer these lentil fritters to a paper towel-lined plate to remove excess oil and repeat as needed.
Serving suggestions 🍽
Dal Vadai is best served immediately with a hot cup of tea or filter coffee, making it a delightful choice for an evening snack or breakfast. While these crispy Indian vadas can be enjoyed on their own, they pair exceptionally well with green chutney, or coconut chutney. For a more wholesome meal, try dunking these lentil fritters in hot Rasam or Sambhar. You can also make Paruppu Vada Kolumbu.
Paruppu Vada is versatile and can also be served as a cocktail appetizer, party snack, or a treat for guests. It’s a popular choice for potlucks, parties, festive occasions, or religious ceremonies such as Diwali, Holi, Navratri, Ganesh Chaturthi, Bhogi Pandigai, Pongal, Nombu, or Aavani Avittam. In Tamil Nadu and Kerala, these vadas are also a common feature at weddings, adding a touch of tradition to celebratory meals.
If making it for Pongal, Bhogi, or any South Indian festival, serve Mixed Dal vada with Sakkarai Pongal, Ven Pongal, Paal Payasam or Semiya Payasam along with Sambhar, Rasam, Curd Rice, Payasam, Kootu, Puliyogare, Poriyal, Potato Fry, Thokku, Pickle, Banana Chips, and fried Papad.
Top recipe tips 💭
Taste the batter, and if it feels too salty, sprinkle a little rice flour to absorb the excess salt. If making the vadas for neividhyam (prasad), make it without onions. It's crucial not to add any water while grinding the mixture, as the natural moisture from the soaked lentils is enough to bring it together. When frying, avoid cooking the dal vadas on high flame, as it will cause them to brown quickly on the outside while remaining uncooked inside. For extra crispiness, you can add half a teaspoon of baking soda to the paruppu vada batter just before frying.
FAQs 📖
The right consistency of homemade dal vada batter should be neither too moist nor too dry. When shaping the batter into small balls, it should easily hold its shape without crumbling. If the parippu vada mixture is too crumbly and difficult to shape, grind about one-fourth cup of the mixture again until smooth and mix it back into the remaining batter. If the batter is too moist and hard to shape, add 2-3 teaspoons of rice flour or gram flour to help firm it up.
The mixed dal vada batter is best used immediately for the freshest results, so make only as much as needed for one batch. However, if you have leftover batter, store it in the fridge, but avoid adding onions. The batter may release water during storage, so if it becomes too runny, add some rice flour, rava, or besan to adjust the consistency.
Leftover fried dal vadas can be stored at room temperature for a day or in the fridge for 2-3 days. Keep in mind that they will lose their crispy texture when stored. To check if they’ve gone bad, break a small piece and look for any lacing or threads when separated—if present, discard the vada, as it has spoiled.
You can enhance the flavor of your masala dal vada by adding various ingredients to the batter. Finely shredded spinach (Keerai Vadai), methi, dill, drumstick leaves, carrots, or cabbage can be mixed in for added taste and texture. For a different flavor profile, you can also incorporate fennel seeds, ginger paste, mint leaves, coconut, garlic, garam masala, or cloves while grinding the batter. These additions will give your Paruppu Vada a unique twist, making it even more delicious.
To make baked crispy parippu vada, start by lining a baking tray with parchment paper. Lightly grease your hands with oil and take a lemon-sized portion of the batter, shaping it into a thin patty (avoid making it too thick, as it may not bake evenly). Preheat your oven to 425°F. Arrange the shaped vadas on the tray, ensuring they don’t overlap. For added crispiness, lightly spray them with cooking oil. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown and fully cooked through. You can also air-fry the South Indian vadas using the same method for a crispy result.
Yes, you can make Aama Vada in an Appe pan as a healthier alternative to deep-frying. Start by heating the Appe pan over medium heat and brushing the cavities with oil to prevent sticking. Place the shaped dal vada mixture into the greased cavities, and lightly brush the tops with oil for extra crispiness. Cover the pan and cook on medium-low heat for 6-8 minutes, flipping them halfway through, until the Aama vadas turn golden brown and are cooked through. If you have an Appe pan, it’s also perfect for making Paniyarams.
More Fried Snack Recipes
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Recipe 📖
Masala Dal Vada | Paruppu Vadai
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups chana dal
- 1 cup tur dal
- ½ cup urad dal
- 5-6 green chillies
- 4 dried red chillies
- 1 inch ginger
- 10-12 curry leaves
- 1 cup cilantro
- salt
- 1 teaspoon GF asafoetida
- 1 onion
Instructions
- Rinse chana dal, toor dal, and urad dal thoroughly. Soak the lentils together in room-temperature water for 45 minutes to an hour (no need to soak longer).
- Once soaked, drain the water completely.
- Add half of the chopped cilantro, curry leaves, ginger, broken green chilies, and dried red chilies to the blender jar.
- Add a handful of the soaked and drained lentils to the jar to help grind the ginger and chilies evenly.
- Blitz the mixture until the initial ingredients are coarsely ground. Avoid adding any water.
- Add the remaining lentils, cilantro, and a pinch of asafoetida to the grinder.
- Grind coarsely without adding water. If necessary, grind in two batches to ensure even texture. Leave some lentils partially ground to enhance the crispy texture of the Masala Vada.
- Transfer the coarse Chana Dal Vada mixture to a large mixing bowl.
- Add finely chopped onions and salt to the batter, ensuring it’s neither too moist nor too dry. I added 2 teaspoons of salt. Optional: Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes for crispier vadas.
- Heat oil for frying and pour 2 tablespoons of hot oil (or warm vegan ghee/regular ghee) into the batter. Mix well until it resembles a loose dough. Check oil readiness by dropping a small batter ball—if it rises without browning, the oil is ready.
- Shape the batter into lemon-sized balls, flatten lightly, and fry in batches over low flame. Avoid overcrowding and flip only after one side is browned.
- Fry until the vadas are golden brown and crispy. Transfer these lentil fritters to a paper towel-lined plate to remove excess oil and repeat as needed.
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We'll email this recipe to you, so that you can look at it later!
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