White Peas Recipe for Vadas
Masala Vada
There are varied types of vadas that could be made of pulses, flour or vegetables like potatoes but these White Peas Recipe for Vadas are something totally exceptional. This fried globule is like savoury doughnuts, or dumplings fritters, cutlets. India has a rich mélange of food which has multiple cooking styles and recipes from several states, cities and yet there is a merging quality of some of these, that unites us into one big happy gastronomic family.
What is a Vada
One such unifying snack is the vada, a fried savoury fritter from the Indian subcontinent. Vadas existed centuries ago and are fully defined in the Dharma Sutras as being soaked, coarsely ground pulses like urad, moulded into various shapes and deep fried in ghee. I have tried the same with White peas or Safed vatana to make White Peas Recipe for Vadas which is usually used to make Ragda Pattice and other chaat items. The peas look quite similar to chole or garbanzo beans barring the fact that they are smaller in size and white in colour.
What are White Peas?
Dried peas or white vatana are available any time of the year, unlike the green peas. They belong to the same family as beans and lentils, but they are usually well-known as a separate group because of the ways in which they are cooked. These dried peas are produced by harvesting the peapods when they are totally mature and then drying them. Once they are dried and the skins removed, they split by themselves.
Health benefits
Dried peas are a small but nutritionally high member of the legume family and they are a benefit in managing blood-sugar disorders since their high fibre content thwarts blood sugar levels from rising rapidly after a meal. These dried white peas also provide good amounts of four important minerals, protein and two B-vitamins; all with virtually no fat.
Dried peas, like most legumes, are rich in soluble fibre. They are a good source of potassium, which may reduce the growth and development of blood vessel plaques and is also good for lowering high blood pressure.
What is Masala Vada?
Masala Vada is a crispy and savoury deep-fried doughnut made from chana dal and other spices. It is a famous street food of Andhra Cuisine. But here I am using White peas instead of chana dal and the other key ingredient in masala vada which plays a major role for its flavourful taste is onion. Process for making White Peas Recipe for Vadas is very simple and the only time taken is the time required for soaking the white peas. Medu vada is something I always avoid eating. I always crave for something crispy and crunchy, and this white peas’ masala vada is just what I love.
Ingredients for White Peas Recipe for Vadas
1 cup white peas
A medium Onion or 2-3 shallots, finely chopped
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1-inch piece ginger chopped
1-2 Green Chillies, finely chopped
A pinch of Asafoetida (hing),
2 tbsp finely chopped Coriander Leaves
2 tbsp mint leaves chopped
½ tsp red chilli powder
Oil, for deep frying
Salt to taste
Directions:
Take the cup of white peas in a bowl and wash nicely. Soak it in approx. 1½ cups water for 4 hours or overnight as I did.
Drain all the water from the soaked white peas and transfer it to the jar of a blender/mixer grinder.
Add just 2-3 tbsps water to the white peas. Grind until the batter is coarse and not smooth. Don’t add too much water while grinding. The batter should be thick in consistency and not at all watery.
Add finely chopped onion, cumin seeds, 1-2 chopped green chillies, a pinch of asafoetida or hing, chopped coriander and mint leaves, red chilli powder and salt. Mix the batter well.
Wet your palm with water. Take one tablespoon of the batter. Pat, it into a round disc-like shape and flatten it a little by pressing it in-between your palms and give a Pattie like shape. I wanted to make them look like a doughnut and made a hole in the centre.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a deep frying pan over medium flame. When the oil is medium hot, slide the vadas one by one into oil from the side of the pan and deep fry them until golden brown and crisp.
Drain excess oil and transfer them to a kitchen towel. Crunchy and crispy White Peas Recipe for Vadas is ready.
Serve the White Peas Recipe for Vadas with mint or coconut chutney or tomato sauce.
- 1 cup yellow split peas
- 1 medium Onion or 2-3 shallots finely chopped
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- 1- inch piece ginger chopped
- 1-2 green chillies finely chopped
- 1 pinch Asafoetida hing
- 2 tbsp finely chopped Coriander Leaves
- 2 tbsp mint leaves chopped
- 1/2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
- oil for deep frying
- salt to taste
- Take the cup of white peas in a bowl and wash nicely. Soak it in approx. 1½ cups water for 4 hours or overnight as I did.
- Drain all the water from the soaked white peas and transfer it to the jar of a blender/mixer grinder.
- Add just 2-3 tbsps water to the white peas. Grind until the batter is coarse and not smooth. Don’t add too much water while grinding. The batter should be thick in consistency and not at all watery.
- Add finely chopped onion, cumin seeds, 1-2 chopped green chillies, a pinch of asafoetida or hing, chopped coriander and mint leaves, red chilli powder and salt. Mix the batter well.
- Wet your palm with water. Take one tablespoon of the batter. Pat, it into a round disc-like shape and flatten it a little by pressing it in-between your palms and give a Pattie like shape. I wanted to make them look like a doughnut and made a hole in the centre.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in a deep frying pan over medium flame. When the oil is medium hot, slide the vadas one by one into oil from the side of the pan and deep fry them until golden brown and crisp.
- Drain excess oil and transfer them to a kitchen towel. Crunchy and crispy White Peas Recipe for Vadas is ready.
- Serve the White Peas Recipe for Vadas with mint or coconut chutney or tomato sauce.
Notes
Don’t add too much water while grinding the dal or else the batter will become watery and it will be difficult to shape the vadas.
Don’t grind the batter for too long at once as it will make the batter like a paste. Grind it for few seconds; sprinkle water and then grind it again for a few seconds. Even if the peas do not crush it is okay as they add to the crunchiness.
If you find it difficult to shape vadas on your palm, use a plastic sheet or a banana leaf to shape the vadas. Wet the surface of the plastic sheet and place a dollop of batter on it, give a round shape and make a hole in the centre of the vada. Slide the vada gently from the plastic sheet into the hot oil and deep fry it.
Make sure the temperature of the oil is medium hot while making the vadas to cook them evenly.
Serving Ideas: Serve it with hot tea as morning breakfast/snack or with your evening tea.
