Urad Dal Vada is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, mildly spicy and aromatic. Topped with some sesame seeds or til, they have a distinct flavour of their own and is a perfect appetizer for family, friends and guests visiting on any festive auspicious occasion.
Different variations of this recipe, for e.g. Medu Vada are consumed as breakfast in various parts of India. Every region in India has a different food tradition and sometimes these traditions also vary from family to family. In our home in the small Indian state of Uttarakhand, we make a kumauni traditional Diwali savoury snack ‘Urad Dal Vada’ or Dal ke pakore. These are made in our home just during festivals and are savoured throughout the day.
If you liked this and looking for more appetizers recipes, I’m sure you’ll also love the following


Urad Dal Vada
- Prep Time: Overnight
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: Overnight
- Yield: 5 persons 1x
- Category: Appertizers
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Indian
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Urad Dal Vada are lentil fritters which are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, mildly spicy, aromatic and so tasty
Ingredients
- 1 cup urad dal (husked and split black gram)
- 1–2 cups of water
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 green chilies, chopped (or according to taste)
- A handful of coriander or dhania leaves, finely chopped
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp jeera or cumin powder
- 1 tsp red chili powder (or according to taste)
- Salt to taste
- 2–3 tbsp til or sesame seeds
- 2–3 cups neutral oil to fry the vada
Instructions
- Soak urad dal 5 hours or overnight .
- One done, strain the water and grind urad dal thoroughly to make a fine thick paste. Add some water if necessary.
- Add salt, chili, jeera powder, garam masala, onion, coriander leaves. Mix all ingredients well.
- Apply water on your palms so the batter doesn’t stick and make small balls. Coat the top side with sesame seeds. (Note – you can also flatten them in a flat round, a thin patty with a hole in the center)
- Deep fry the vada in oil until they turn golden brown on both sides.