Chana Dal Vada | Masala Vada | Chatambade | Smokey Coconut Chutney
Chana Dal Vada, also known as Masala Vada or Chatambade, is a classic South Indian deep-fried snack made from coarsely ground chana dal (split Bengal gram) mixed with onions, green chilies, curry leaves, and aromatic spices. Crispy on the outside and soft inside, these golden fritters are a beloved tea-time treat or festive snack, especially in states like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh.Served with Smokey Coconut Chutney — a flavorful accompaniment made by blending roasted coconut, chilies, and a smoky tempering of mustard seeds and curry leaves — the combination delivers a perfect balance of texture and taste. Together, they offer a spicy, crunchy, and satisfying experience that’s hard to resist.Ideal as a snack or starter, this combo is best enjoyed hot with a cup of chai or filter coffee.
Ingredients
For Dal Vada
- Chana dal (चना दाल)- 1 cup
- Curry leaves (कड़ी पत्ता) – 2 sprigs
- Saunf (सॉंफ़) – 2 tsp
- Pepper whole (कालीमिर्च) – 2 tsp
- Cumin (जीरा) – 2 tsp
- Ginger chopped (अदरक)- 1 tbsp
- Green chilli chopped (हरि मिर्च)- 2-3 nos
- Onion chopped (प्याज़) – ½ cup
- Coriander chopped (धनिया पत्ता) – 3 tbsp
- Salt (नमक) – to taste
- Curry leaves (कड़ी पत्ता)- a sprig
- Oil (तेल)- for frying
For Smokey Coconut Chutney
- Capsicum, large (शिमला मिर्च) – 1 no
- Oil (तेल)- a dash
- Green chilli (हरिमिर्च) – 3-4 nos
- Grated coconut (नारियल)- 1½ cups
- Coriander leaves (धनिया पत्ता) – 1 cup
- Mint leaves (पुदीना)- ½ cup
- Curry leaf (कड़ी पत्ता) – handful
- Tamarind (optional) (इमली) – a small piece
- Ginger (अदरक) – a small piece
- Salt (नमक) – to taste
- Roasted Chana dal (भुना चना दाल)- 2 tbsp
- Water (पानी) – a dash
For Tempering
- Oil (तेल) – 2 tbsp
- Dry Red chilli (सूखी लाल मिर्च) – 2-3 nos
- Mustard seeds(सरसों) – 2 tsp
- Urad Dal (उड़द दाल) – 2 tsp
- Curry Leaves (कड़ी पत्ता) – a sprig
Instructions
- For chana dal vada, the first step is to soak chana dal for at least 4 hours. Keep aside a small amount of dal and coarsely grind the rest of them along with curry leaves, fennel seeds, peppercorns, and cumin.Now, add the chana dal kept aside to add texture. Add ginger, green chillies, coriander leaves, onions, salt to taste, and curry leaves, then mix it up.Take a small amount of batter on your palm and make a ball. Flatten the ball between your palm to make a disc shape. Repeat this process with the remaining batter.
- Gently slide the vadas into hot oil and fry on medium heat for a while then take them out when they're half done. Now, fry them again to make them crispy till the colour turns golden brown. Dal vada is ready to be served.
- For Smokey Coconut Chutney, grill capsicum and chillies on a gas stove. Grill them well from all sides and transfer them to a bowl and cover it with a lid. This helps in removing the skin of the capsicum and chillies easily.Remove the skin and roughly chop it. Blend them along with grated coconut, coriander leaves, mint leaves, curry leaves, tamarind, ginger, salt, roasted chana dal, and a dash of water.For tempering, in a hot pan, heat some oil then add dried red chillies, mustard seeds, urad dal and curry leaves. Add it to the chutney and mix it up. The smokey coconut chutney is ready.Enjoy the crispy and tasty chana dal vada along with smokey coconut chutney!
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