In a mixing bowl, add 1.5 cups of poha. Wash it well and drain the excess water using a sieve.

In a mixer jar, add 3 green chilies, 1-inch ginger, 5–6 garlic cloves, and 1 teaspoon cumin seeds. Grind it into a coarse paste without adding water.

Add the soaked poha to the mixing bowl. Then add ½ cup chopped methi leaves, ½ cup chopped coriander leaves, the prepared green chili–ginger–garlic paste, 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, salt to taste, a pinch of hing, ½ teaspoon ajwain, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, 1 teaspoon red chili powder, 1 teaspoon garam masala, 1 teaspoon chaat masala, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 2 tablespoons oil.

Next, add ½ cup coarse wheat flour and ¼ cup besan. Mix everything well.

Gradually add buttermilk and knead a medium-soft dough for the vadas.

Do not rest the dough. Take a small portion of dough and flatten it between your palms. (Refer to video.)

Heat oil in a pan and add the vadas. Apply a little water on the surface of each vada before adding it to the hot oil. Sprinkle some hot oil over the vadas so they puff up, and fry them on medium flame until crispy on both sides.

Remove the fried vadas and place them on a wire rack to drain excess oil.

Serve the methi poha vadas with chutney and fried chilies.

In a mortar and pestle, add 20 garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons Kashmiri red chili powder, 1 tablespoon coriander powder, salt to taste, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Crush everything well. Add ½ cup water and mix.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a pan and add the crushed mixture. Sauté until the oil begins to release from the sides.

Allow the mixture to cool slightly, then add 2 tablespoons curd. Mix well and cook again until the oil separates.

Your garlic chutney is ready. Serve with vadas or store it in an airtight container. It stays good for up to 1 week in the refrigerator.