Lentil Fritters

Lentil Fritters - A delicious deep fried snack in Indian cuisine. It's best with tea / coffee...

Makes: 16

Ingredients

1 cup ( 200 ml / 8 oz ) split yellow dal

1 1/2 cup water ( to soak  dal )

5 small onion ( chuvannulli / sambar onion ), finely chopped

1/2 - inch piece ginger, finely chopped

1 green chilli, finely chopped

6 curry leaves, roughly chopped 

1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves

2 pinches hing (asafoetida) optional

1/2 teaspoon salt ( or to taste )

300 ml cooking oil ( 3/4 - inch from the base of the kadai )

Method

Wash and soak  split dal for 3  hours. Drain out water completely. Make a coarse paste in a mixer for 1 minute ( Do not add extra water while grinding ). Sprinkle very little water when making paste. Dal paste should be thick in consistency.

Transfer this ‘’ rough paste''  to another bowl and mix with chopped small onions, green chilli, ginger, curry leaves, hing and salt. Finally mix with chopped coriander leaves.

Heat oil in a kadai / pan.  Reduce  the heat to medium. Gently drop a spoonful of dal batter into hot oil. 5 - 6 spoons at a time (depending upon the size of the kadai / frying pan).

Fry till golden color on both sides / crisp / nice aroma of small onions ( approximate frying time 6 - 8 minutes on each side ). Drain out from oil and place it on kitchen towel  / paper towel to absorb extra oil. Please use 3 – 4 paper towels to absorb extra oil. Serve  hot with Tea / Coffee or with coconut chutney.