Gujarati Dal Vada is a popular and all-time favorite street food from Ahmedabad, Gujarat. These crispy fritters are made with green moong dal (split green gram), fresh herbs, and everyday Indian spices. They are perfectly crispy on the outside while remaining soft, light, and fluffy on the inside.
In this recipe, I have shared the perfect ingredient ratio along with several useful tips to help you make crispy and delicious Dal Vadas without using baking soda or Eno. By following these simple techniques, you can achieve the perfect texture every time.
Gujarati Dal Vada is a perfect evening snack, especially during the rainy season. Serve these hot and crispy vadas with fried green chilies, sliced onions, chutney, and a cup of tea. They can also be enjoyed as a side dish with lunch or dinner.
The key to making perfect dalvada at home are:
- Soaking the dal: I used whole green moong dal for this recipe, but you can also use yellow moong dal instead. Soak the dal for only 4 hours. Do not soak it for a longer time, as it will absorb excess water, making the batter watery and preventing the Dal Vadas from turning crispy.
- Dal batter: Add very little water while grinding the soaked dal. Grind it into a thick and coarse mixture rather than a smooth paste. After grinding, whisk the batter in one direction for 2–3 minutes to incorporate air. This makes the batter light and fluffy, resulting in soft, airy Dal Vadas without the need to add baking soda or Eno.
- Frying technique: Heat the oil well before frying. Fry the Dal Vadas on a high flame for the first few seconds so they hold their shape. Then reduce the flame to medium and continue frying until they become evenly cooked, crispy, and golden brown.
- Serving: Gujarati Dal Vadas taste best when served hot with fried green chilies, sliced onions, your favorite chutney, and a cup of hot tea.
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Recipe video
Dal vada recipe with tips | Gujarati dal vada | moong dal vada
Ingredients
- 2 cup green moong dal
- ½ cup water or as required
- Salt to taste
- 1 tbsp coarsely crushed black pepper
- 4-5 chopped green chilli
- ½ cup coriander leaves
- 1 tbsp hot oil
- 1 tsp hing
- Oil for frying
Instructions
- Making Gujarati Dal Vada:
- In a mixing bowl, add 2 cups of green moong dal and wash it thoroughly. Add enough water and soak the dal for 4 hours.
- Once the dal is properly soaked, rub it gently between your hands to loosen and remove the outer skin. Rinse and discard as much of the skin as possible.
- Drain the soaked dal completely. Transfer it to a mixer jar, add ½ cup water, and grind it into a thick and coarse batter. Do not grind it into a smooth paste.
- Transfer the batter to a mixing bowl and whisk it for 3–4 minutes until it becomes light and fluffy.
- Cover the batter and let it rest for 30 minutes.
- After resting, add salt to taste, 1 tbsp crushed black pepper, 4–5 finely chopped green chilies, ½ cup chopped coriander leaves, 1 tbsp hot oil, and 1 tsp hing (asafoetida). Mix everything well. The batter is now ready.
- Heat oil for deep frying. Using your fingers and thumb, carefully drop small portions of the batter into the hot oil. Keep the flame high initially so the vadas hold their shape, then reduce it to medium and fry until they turn golden brown and crispy from all sides.
- Serve the hot and crispy Dal Vadas with sliced onions, fried green chilies, and tea.
Notes
- Do not soak the moong dal for too long.
- Rub the soaked moong dal gently to remove its outer skin.
- Do not add too much water while grinding the dal.
- Whisk the ground batter well until it becomes light and fluffy.
- Let the batter rest for 30 minutes before frying.
- If the batter becomes too thin, add a little rava (semolina). It will absorb the excess water and help thicken the batter.
- Start frying the dal vadas over a high flame so they hold their shape, then reduce the flame to medium and fry until they are golden brown and crispy.