Masoor Dal Vada (Red lentil fritters)

This is one of the popular dal vada(lentil fritters) among bengalis. You can munch this with tea or can be eaten as a side dish with any dal(lentil soup). It is very crispy and very easy to make. I don't know about other cuisines of India, but bengalis love masoor dal(red lentil) and use more than any other lentils. Masoor dal has the most protien value than any other dal(lentil), so in Bengal it is considered as a "Non-veg" dal. Any way, now to the recipe.................


Ingredients :
Masoor dal(red lentil) : 1 cup
Green chilli : 1 or 2(blanched)/ red chilli powder : as per taste
Black Cumin seeds(kalonji/kali jeera) : 2 tsp.
Whole wheat/white/corn flour for binding
A pinch of baking soda
Salt to taste
Oil for shallow frying
Fresh coriander leaves : a bunch (blanched)

Method :

• Soak masoor dal for 1 hour in cold water. Drain whole water from dal and grind into a fine paste without using water or if needed use 2 tbsp. water.
• Mix all other ingredients into the paste except oil and flour. lastly mix wheat flour to make it a thick paste.
• Heat enough oil to fry, you can use your hand or use a spoon to drop little of the paste into the oil and form any kind of shape, round or long, big or small.
  
• When it turns brown in one side, flip to the other side. Take it off when both sides turn brown.
  

Tips : First, lower the flame and drop the paste into the oil, then increase the flame to medium. Fry in medium flame to let it cook from inside.
Serve immediately after frying with some ketchup or chilli sauce. It tastes great when hot......................enjoy

Sending this yummy starter to MLLA 10: starters & desserts hosted by Coco Cooks and brainchild of Susan of Well Seasoned Cook
Also this is going to another nice event Think Spice : Think Kalonji @Ammalu's Kitchen, the event is originally started by Sunita of Sunita's World