Preparation of Channa Dal Mixture:

After soaking Channa dal for an hour, drain the water. Add the Channa dal to a mixer grinder along with fennel seeds and salt. Grind the mixture coarsely. Ensure that the mixture is neither too fine nor too grainy.

Preparing Vade Mixture:

Transfer the coarsely ground Channa dal mixture to a mixing bowl. Add the finely chopped onions, green chillies, coriander leaves, curry leaves, and garlic cloves to the bowl. If you’re adding Vazaipoo, ensure it’s cleaned, finely chopped, and added at this stage. Mix everything thoroughly until well combined.

Resting Time:

Once mixed, cover the bowl and let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes. This allows the flavours to meld together.

Shaping the Vade:

After the resting period, take a small portion of the mixture and shape it into a lemon-sized ball. You can then flatten it slightly to form a disc shape. This shape will allow the vade to cook evenly when fried.

Frying:

Heat the 500 ml oil in a deep frying pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, carefully slide in the shaped vades a few at a time. Do not overcrowd the pan. Fry the vades till they turn golden brown and crispy, turning them occasionally to ensure even cooking.

Serving:

Once fried, remove the Masala Vade from the oil and place it on paper towels to remove excess oil. Serve hot with coconut chutney or any other dip of your choice.

Enjoy your delicious Masala Vade!