Recipe Cooked, Photographed and Written by Praveena

PrepTime:4-5 hrs  CookTime:15 mins   Cuisine:Indian

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Table of Contents⇓    RecipeCard⇓

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:

Click to Expand / Collapse

1. Possible Alterations for the recipe, ‘Pesarapappu Vada / Moong Bean Nuggets’:
2. Video Shorts of ‘Mung Dal Vada’ Stove Top Method:
3. Nugget recipes from my blog:
4. Difference using Air Fryer for frying Vada:
5. Other recipes from my blog:
6. Step wise pics Procedure for ‘Mung Dal nuggets / Pesarapappu Vada (Stove Top, Air Fryer methods)’:
7. Prep Work:
8. Stove Top Method Frying Mung Dal Vada:
9. Air Fryer Method Mung Dal Vada:
10. Tips & Storage:
11. Result:
12. Recipe Card & Print:

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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.

Video Shorts of ‘Mung Dal Vada’ Stove Top Method:

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. 

Other recipes from my blog:

Before starting to cook, don’t forget to see the Tips mentioned at the end.

Appetiser recipes collection⇒  Starters / Snacks

Air fryer recipes collection⇒  Air – Fryer Recipes

Daily Meal Platters>>> Bhojanam / Thali / Meal Platter

Related Posts:

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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:

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 into a blending jar, add 2 tablespoons of water ONLY if required and make a smooth paste.

In a mixing bowl, add the all the ingredients as shown (except oil and water).

Mix everything gently and make a batter. Batter ready to be used…for making the nuggets / vada.

Stove Top Method Frying Mung 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 Mung 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 .

Pause it, gently flip to the other side and fry for 4-5 mins more, at 200ºC / 390ºF .

Perfectly cooked Moong Dal vada made in Air Fryer.

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.

Recipe Card & Print:

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