Mysore Vada Recipe with step-by-step photos and instructions. Mysore vada is a delicious and crispy South Indian snack made from lentils and spices. It’s perfect for tea time or as an appetizer and is loved by many for its unique taste and texture. With this recipe, you can easily make this vada also known as Dal Vada at home and enjoy its wonderful flavor.
Inspiration of Mysore Vada Recipe
This version of Mysore Vada is inspired by the variety of lentils used, unlike the traditional masala vadai, which sticks to chana dal. It’s a beloved street food snack in India, often found at bustling roadside tea shops. I first tried making this recipe on a cozy Saturday evening to pair with a hot cup of tea, and it instantly brought back such nostalgic memories of my travels in India. Being able to enjoy this delicious snack at home, without having to travel, makes it all the more special (and definitely makes me even happier!).
Cooking Tips for Mysore Vada
- Proper Soaking: Make sure the dal soaks for 3 hours—don’t compromise on this timing.
- Grinding Consistency: Ensure the soaked dal has no water when grinding. The batter should not be smooth; we are looking for a coarse grind. Pulse grind the dal a few times, checking the consistency. If you see some whole dal here and there, it’s perfectly fine. Avoid over-grinding, as a smoother consistency can result in a tougher Mysore vada.
- Chana dal: You can use yellow split peas.
- Crunch Factor: Melon seeds and cashew nuts add extra crunchiness to this mysore vada. Try not to omit them.
- Melon Seeds: You may substitute melon seeds to pumpkin seeds. Just roughly chop them before adding in.
- Ground ginger: For those who do not like the ginger taste, you may totally omit it. But I highly recommend to use this as it gives nice aroma and flavor for this Vadai.
- Batch Size: This recipe yields about 20 vadais. Feel free to halve the recipe if you don’t need that many. On the other hand, you may keep some of the uncooked mixture in the fridge for later use. Place the mixture in an airtight container to maintain its freshness and flavor. When you are ready to cook, simply allow it to come to room temperature before shaping and frying the vadai.
Other Recommendations for Snacks
If you’re looking to discover more snack recipes, feel free to explore the options below.
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Mysore Vada Recipe
Description
This recipe makes delicious vadai, a type of savory fritter. To start, soak some toor dal, chana dal, and mung dal for three hours. Grind green chillies and ginger separately into pastes. Then, grind the soaked lentils into a coarse mixture with some salt. In a bowl, mix the ground dals with the chilli paste, ginger, chopped coriander leaves, curry leaves, melon seeds, and cashew nuts. Shape the mixture into small, flat patties. Heat some oil in a pan and fry the patties on low heat until they are golden brown on both sides. Serve your vadai hot with coconut chutney.
Ingredients for the Mysore Vada
Instructions on how to make the Mysore Vada
Instructions on how to make the Mysore Vada
Instructions on how to make the Mysore Vada with step-by step photos
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Prepare the Lentils:
First, rinse and soak the toor dal, chana dal, and mung dal for 3 hours.
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Prepare the Spice Pastes:
In a mixer jar, add 3 green chillies and a little water and grind into a paste. You'll need 1 tbsp of this paste for later use, so set it aside.
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In a clean mixer jar, grind the inch of ginger coarsely. You'll need 1 tsp from this coarsely ground ginger; set this aside too.
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Grind the Lentils:
Add all the soaked dals into a mixer jar and pulse grind into a coarse mixture.
Add salt and grind again for a few more seconds. The mixture should remain coarse.
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Combine Ingredients:
Transfer the coarsely ground dal to a large bowl.
Add 1 tbsp of the ground chilli paste, 1 tsp of ground ginger, coriander leaves, curry leaves, melon seeds, and chopped cashew nuts. Mix well until everything is well combined.
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Shape the Vadai:
Take a lemon-sized ball from the mixture, place it on your palm, and flatten it a bit with the help of your other hand, similar to making masala vadas.
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Fry the Vadai:
