Air fryer recipe · Snacks
Crunchy Chana Dal Masala Vada
Coarse-ground chana dal patties shot through with onion, fennel and curry leaves for that tea-stall crunch.
- 40 minTotal time
- 185°CAir fryer
- 3Serves
- VegetarianDiet
Nutrition per serving
- 300kcal
- 11.4 gprotein
- 37.0 gcarbs
- 12.6 gfat
- 7.4 gfibre
Per serving, about 3 servings. Figures are estimates from standard ingredient databases, not medical, dietetic, or nutritional advice.
Ingredients
- Chana dal (soaked 2 hrs)1 cup
- Onion, finely chopped1 small
- Fennel seeds1 tsp
- Dried red chillies3
- Curry leaves, torn10 leaves
- Oil, for brushing2 tbsp
Method
Pulse the dal
Set aside two tablespoons of soaked chana dal whole, then coarsely pulse the rest with the red chillies and fennel without adding water. You want a gritty, scoopable mix, not a smooth paste, so the vadas stay crumbly.
Mix in aromatics
Tip the ground dal into a bowl and fold through the reserved whole dal, chopped onion, torn curry leaves and salt. The whole grains give little pops of texture in every bite.
Form the patties
Press the mixture into flat discs about a centimetre thick, pressing firmly so they hold together without egg or binder. Chill them for ten minutes to firm up before frying.
Oil and preheat
Preheat the air fryer for three minutes and brush each patty on both faces with oil. The thin oil film is essential for an even, golden crust.
Air-fry to a crunch
Lay the patties out without overlapping and air-fry at 185C for 18 minutes, turning once halfway through. They are done when the edges are crisp and deeply browned; serve with mint chutney.
