Recipe Cooked, Photographed and Written by Praveena
PrepTime:4-5 hrs CookTime:15 mins Cuisine:Indian
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Mung dal nuggets / Pesarapappu vada is my newest try using my Air-fryer. My husband doesn’t enjoy air-fried food, so I had to make deep-fry version of these parallelly. Hence, posting both the versions using the same batter.
I made these, Mung dal nuggets / pesarapappu vada (excluded the onions), for Telugu New year in the first week of April Ugadi Festive Delicacies-2019 and made them again yes’day.. when kids demand, you have to! right!! 🙂
Table of Contents:
- Other Nugget recipes from my blog:
- Difference using Air Fryer for frying Vada:
- Video Shorts of ‘Mung Dal Vada’ Stove Top Method:
- Possible Alterations for the recipe, ‘Pesarapappu Vada / Moong Bean Nuggets’:
- Other recipes from my blog:
- Step wise pics Procedure for ‘Mung Dal nuggets / Pesarapappu Vada (Stove Top, Air Fryer methods)’:
- Prep Work:
- Stove Top Method Frying Mung Dal Vada:
- Air Fryer Method Mung Dal Vada:
- Tips & Storage:
- Result:
- Ingredients, Accessories on ‘AMAZON’ to ‘SHOP’:
- Recipe Card & Print:
Other Nugget recipes from my blog:
These, Mung dal nuggets / pesarapappu vada, can be called as siblings to these recipes that I posted before.
- Maddur Vada (Air fryer / Baked Snack)
- Black Eyed Beans Nuggets / Alasanda Vada (Air Fryer, Stove top)
- Medu Vada / Minapa Gaarelu
- Masala Vada / Lentil Masala Nuggets (Stove Top, Air Fryer, Oven Baked)
- Red Kidney Beans Nuggets / Rajma – Masala Vada (Air Fryer, Stove Top)
- Bell Pepper – Lentil Fritters / Capsicum Punugulu
Difference using Air Fryer for frying Vada:
Well, among the Air-fried & deep-fried versions, I didn’t find much of difference in taste. But, air-fried seems to be made in a healthy way (uses just oil-spray) and the texture is also just the same.
Except that a bit more patience is needed while using the air-fryer, because we cannot make more than 5-6 no. in one go.
Video Shorts of ‘Mung Dal Vada’ Stove Top Method:
Possible Alterations for the recipe, ‘Pesarapappu Vada / Moong Bean Nuggets’:
No Onion – No Garlic options: I did try the same recipe without adding onions, garlic. They turned great.
Other herbs to add: Fresh Mint Leaves, Fresh Parsley leaves, Methi / Fenugreek leaves are the other herbs that can be added in the place of coriander/cilantro.
Using other beans: Other beans like chana dal, red kidney beans, black eyed beans, works best for this recipe.
To bake in an Oven: Yes, bake them in a conventional oven, at the same temperature (200ºC or 390ºF) and procedure as that of an air-fryer.
Oil Free / WFPB options: This is possible only in the air-fryer method. Avoid even brushing the Air Fryer mesh.
Other recipes from my blog:
Before starting to cook, don’t forget to see the Tips mentioned at the end.
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Air fryer recipes collection⇒ Air – Fryer Recipes
Daily Meal Platters>>> Bhojanam / Thali / Meal Platter
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Ingredients:
- Pesarapappu / Yellow Moong Dal – 1 cup
- Green chillies – 3 (finely chopped)
- Fresh Coriander (Cilantro) Leaves – handful (finely chopped)
- Salt – ½ teaspoon
- Whole Cumin / Jeera – 1 tablespoon
- Ginger / Allam – 1 inch piece (finely chopped)
- Onions – 1 medium (finely chopped)
- Turmeric Powder – ¼ teaspoon
- Rice Flour / Biyyappindi – 2 tablespoons
- Ground Black Peppercorn / Miriyam Podi – 1 teaspoon
- Water – 3 cups
- Garlic Pods – 3 (finely chopped) (optional)
- Cooking Oil – 2 cups (for deep fry)
- Oil spray – 1 tablespoon (for air-frying)
Special Ingredients:
- Rice Flour / Biyyappindi
- Green chillies
Step wise pics Procedure for ‘Mung Dal nuggets / Pesarapappu Vada (Stove Top, Air Fryer methods)’:
Prep Work:
Stove Top Method Frying Mung Dal Vada:
Air Fryer Method Mung Dal Vada:
Tips & Storage:
- Don’t worry if you have soaked the dal for more time than required.
- Do not throw away the lentils soaked water. Use them while kneading chapati dough.
- Adjust the salt and spice as per your taste.
- Stove Top Method: The oil for deep frying must be perfectly hot, to test this just drop a small blob of batter into the oil and check .
- For Air-fryer method, make the patties with a hole in the middle, for even frying.
- Storage: You can store the batter or patties in the refrigerator/freezer and fry them when needed.
- Making the nuggets / vada, and storing them is not preferred as they turn hard within few hours.
Result:
- These, Mung dal nuggets / pesarapappu vada, are crispy on the outside and soft from inside.
- The flavour of coriander, curry leaves, ginger, garlic is very much evident in every bite.
- I served them with tamarind sauce and tomato ketchup.
Ingredients, Accessories on ‘AMAZON’ to ‘SHOP’:
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Recipe Card & Print:
Moong Dal Nuggets / Pesarapappu Vada (Air fryer, Stove Top)
Equipment
- Blender/Grinder/Mixie.
- Air-Fryer for air-fryer method
- Frying pan (for stove-top method)
Ingredients
- 1 cup Pesarapappu / Yellow Moong Dal
- 3 count Green chillies (finely chopped)
- 1 handful Fresh Coriander Leaves (finely chopped)
- ½ teaspoon Salt (or as per taste)
- 1 tablespoon Whole Cumin / Jeera
- 1 inch piece Ginger / Allam (finely chopped)
- 1 medium Onion (finely chopped)
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 2 tablespoons Rice Flour / Biyyappindi
- 1 teaspoon Pepper Powder / Miriyam Podi
- 3 cups Water (for soaking)
- 2 cups Cooking Oil (for deep – fry)
- 1 tablespoon Oil Spray (for air – frying)
Instructions
PREP WORK (common for both methods):
- Wash the Yellow Moong Dal / Pesarapappu for 3-4 times. And soak them in water for 4 to 5 hrs.
- Strain the water, take the dal / lentils into a blending jar and make a smooth paste.Add 2 tablespoons of water ONLY if required.
- In a mixing bowl, add the all the ingredients as shown (except oil and water). Mix everything gently and make a batter.Now, the batter is ready to be used, for making the nuggets / vada.
STOVE TOP METHOD MOONG DAL VADA:
- Put a frying pan, add enough of cooking oil (for deep frying), on the stovetop under high flame.
- When the oil is hot enough,make small balls with the batter. Then press each ball into flat patties with your thumb finger and gently drop them into oil.
- Fry them on one side for 2-3 mins and then flip them back to fry, until they turn golden brown.
AIR-FRYER METHOD MOONG DAL VADA:
- Brush the base of air-fryer with oil / use an oil-spray throughout.
- Plate nugget patties over it. Cook for 7-8 mins on one side, at 200ºC / 390ºF .
- Pause it, gently flip to the other side and fry for 4-5 mins more, at 200ºC / 390ºF .
- Transfer the nuggets / vada onto a serving bowl. Done!!
Notes
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Lentils are mentioned a couple of times, but not throughout. Do you treat the lentils (what kind: red? Brown/green) the same as the moong dal?
Hi Kathryn, I have used, Yellow Split Moong Lentils here. I have given picture with the lentils I have used. Just go through the pics. Hope this helps. Get back to me incase of any other doubts.