• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

My Cooking Journey logo

  • Home
  • Recipes
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • Recipes
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
×

Home » Appetizers

Published: Apr 5, 2021 · Modified: Apr 5, 2021 by Sandhya Ramakrishnan · This post may contain affiliate links

Moong Dal Pakoda | Mung Dal Vada Recipe

Jump to Recipe

Moong dal pakoda is an quick and easy appetizer or snack to make for evening tea time. This tiny vada made with yellow mung dal is nutritious and loaded with protein and is very addictive. So be sure to make more for seconds.

Moong dal / payatham paruppu is a common lentil found in the Indian pantry. Yellow moong dal is easy to digest and also cooks very quickly. This is also one of the first lentils introduced to babies when they start their solids as it is easy to digest.

Moon dal pakoda with chutney and tea in the background

Table of contents

  • Why this recipe works?
  • Ingredients and Substitutes
  • Step by step process
  • Expert tips
  • Frequently asked questions
  • More Similar recipes

This Moong Dal pakoda is very easy to make and my kids loved it as their evening snack. It is a popular sight to have pakoras / pakoda as street foods and they are very addictive. This is pretty similar Onion Pakora except made with Moong dal.

Why this recipe works?

This recipe for the dal pakoda is as easy as soaking the lentils for couple of hours and then grinding it into a thick batter. We then add a lot of finely chopped onions, green chilies and cilantro / coriander leaves. This batter is then deep fried as tiny irregular pieces of pakoda.

Sign up to my newsletter

This Moong dal pakoda is one of the best tea time snack. It is crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside and is delicious when served with green chutney / coriander chutney and sweet chutney.

Masala Vadai is a very popular street food in Tamil Nadu. I call this Mung dal vada, the Rajasthani version of the Masala Vadai. Except there is no shaping of the vada. Just use a spoon and scoop some dal batter and drop it as chunks in oil. One other recipe similar to Moong dal vada that I love is the Black eyed peas fritter / Lobia vada.

Ingredients and Substitutes

ingredients labeled and laid out to make moong dal vada

Moong dal / Yellow Mung lentil / Payatham paruppu - The star of the dish is the yellow moong dal. We could use split green moong dal as well, but it will change the color and texture of the pakoda.

Vegetables - Onion is what adds a crunch and sweetness to the dal pakoda. I like to add finely chopped red onion, but you could use any that you have in hand. We also use ginger and green chilies. You could add grated ginger and finely chopped green chilies, but I like to grind them with my lentils. Along with it we use a good handful of finely chopped fresh cilantro / coriander leaves.

Spices - I add cumin seeds and fennel seeds along with salt in the pakoda batter. I also like to grind these along with the batter. If preferred, you could crush them lightly and add it to the batter.

Oil - We are going to be deep frying this pakoda, so we need oil to deep fry. Use any frying oil that you would normally use.

Step by step process

  • Wash and soak the moong dal in water for about 2 to 3 hrs. Drain it completely and grind it into a coarse paste adding no water. Make sure that the batter is little coarse and not too smooth. I also grind my ginger, green chilies, cumin seeds and fennel seeds along with the lentils.
  • Now add the finely chopped onions and cilantro to the lentil batter and mix well. Add the salt needed.
making batter for lentil vada
  • Heat the oil in a pan and once the oil heats, add little dumplings from the prepared batter and drop in into oil. I like to use a spoon to keep it less messy. Depending on the size of the pan we could add a few dumplings at the same time to fry.
deep frying the fritters in oil
  • Fry them until they are golden brown all around and then drain it on a paper towel lined dish.
  • Serve hot with green chutney or sweet chutney!
moong dal pakoda served with chutney and tea

Expert tips

  • Wash and soak Moong dal in adequate water and then grind it after draining completely.
  • If grinding the chilies and ginger, add them to the blender jar first and give it a coarse grind and then add the lentils. In this way the lentils won't become too mushy.
  • Heat the oil until hot and then reduce the flame to medium before dropping the pakodas in oil. This way the pakoda will cook evenly from all the sides. Also this will ensure that the outside of the pakoda does not become dark before the interior cooks.
  • Serve it warm. The mung dal vada can be reheated in the air fryer or in a low setting in the oven or toaster oven.

Frequently asked questions

Can the Moong dal pakoda be air fried?

Yes, Moong dal pakoda can be air fried. Make sure that the batter is quite thick if air frying. I normally air fry at 380 F for about 10 to 12 minutes or until they appear golden brown. the timings vary depending on how many pakodas we add and the size.

How to serve the Mung dal pakoda?

Moong dal pakoda tastes great as is as a tea time snack. It can be served with hot sauce or ketchup. We can also serve it with green chutney and sweet chutney. These can also be added to Pakora kadhi.

How to reheat the Pakoda?

This Moong dal pakoda stays crisp for a while and can be made ahead of time. I reheat it in the air fryer or in a 200 F oven for 3 to 4 minutes. Keep an eye to make sure that they don't burn.

Moond dal vada with sweet chutney and green chutney and tea

More Similar recipes

  • Onion Bhajias - Deep Fried Onion Fritters
  • Aval Masala Vadai | Poha Fritters with Spring Onions
  • Semiya Pakoda with Leftover Semiya Upma | Vermicelli Fritters
  • Pattinam Pakoda – Patnam Pakoda – Patnam Pakodi

 If you made this recipe and liked it, give a star rating on the recipe card or let me know in the comments below. You could also share it with me on Instagram using #MyCookingJourney and tagging me @sandhya.ramakrishnan. You could follow me and my recipes on Facebook |Instagram | Pinterest | twitter

Moong dal pakoda

Moong Dal Pakoda | Mung dal Vada Recipe

Moong dal pakoda is an quick and easy appetizer or snack to make for evening tea time. This tiny vada made with yellow mung dal is nutritious and loaded with protein and is very addictive. So be sure to make more for seconds.
5 from 6 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Appetizer, Snacks, Street Food
Cuisine: Indian
Diet: Vegan
Prep Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 217kcal
Author: Sandhya Ramakrishnan

Equipment

  • bowl
  • pan
  • spatula
  • Blender

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Yellow Moong Dal /Payatham paruppu Soaked for about 2-3 hrs
  • 1 small Onion Chopped very fine
  • 4 Green chilies Minced
  • ½ inch piece Ginger Grated
  • ½ cup Cilantro Chopped finely
  • ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds
  • ½ teaspoon Fennel seeds
  • to taste Salt
  • for deep drying Oil

Instructions

  • Wash and soak the moong dal in water for about 2 to 3 hrs. Drain it completely and grind it into a coarse paste adding no water. Make sure that the batter is little coarse and not too smooth. I also grind my ginger, green chilies, cumin seeds and fennel seeds along with the lentils.
  • Now add the finely chopped onions and cilantro to the lentil batter and mix well. Add the salt needed.
  • Heat the oil in a pan and once the oil heats, add little dumplings from the prepared batter and drop in into oil. I like to use a spoon to keep it less messy. Depending on the size of the pan we could add a few dumplings at the same time to fry.
  • Fry them until they are golden brown all around and then drain them on a paper towel lined dish.
  • Serve hot with green chutney or sweet chutney!

Notes

Expert tips
  • Wash and soak Moong dal in adequate water and then grind it after draining completely.
  • If grinding the chilies and ginger, add them to the blender jar first and give it a coarse grind and then add the lentils. In this way the lentils won't become too mushy.
  • Heat the oil until hot and then reduce the flame to medium before dropping the pakodas in oil. This way the pakoda will cook evenly from all the sides. Also this will ensure that the outside of the pakoda does not become dark before the interior cooks.
  • Serve it warm. The pakoda can e reheated in the air fryer or in a low setting in the oven or toaster oven.

Nutrition

Calories: 217kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 111mg | Potassium: 31mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 159IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @Sandhya.Ramakrishnan or tag #MyCookingJourney!
Blogging Marathon Logo
« Bhutte Ka Kees | Indore Style Grated Corn Snack
Thengai Podi With Flax Seed | Spiced Coconut Powder »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Suma Gandlur says

    May 15, 2021 at 4:36 pm

    Dal vadas are one of my favorite snacks though I don't fry that much. Your vadas look very tempting and make a great tea time snack.

    Reply
  2. Sapana Behl says

    April 24, 2021 at 3:55 am

    5 stars
    This moong dal pakoda looks so delicious and with chai and a cuppa tea, this is definitely going to make a wonderful tea time snack. In fact, I am so craving for it now that I might soak moong dal now to make them.

    Reply
  3. Jagruti's Cooking Odyssey says

    April 24, 2021 at 3:08 am

    What a fabulous and tasty moon dal vada, such an easy and crispy starter or tea time snack for a whole family.

    Reply
    • Sandhya Ramakrishnan says

      April 27, 2021 at 9:14 am

      It is! Thanks 🙂

      Reply
  4. Poonam bachhav says

    April 24, 2021 at 1:48 am

    5 stars
    Moong dal pakoras look so tempting with that golden color and crisp texture. A perfect teat time treat !

    Reply
  5. Mayuri Patel says

    April 23, 2021 at 3:05 pm

    Sandhya, love moong dal pakoda. Like your version with onions and the fennel seeds. Gujaratis make moong dal bhajia but we generally don't add onion or fennel seeds. Must try out this version. Tempting me make them soon.

    Reply
  6. Priya Srinivasan says

    April 23, 2021 at 2:42 am

    5 stars
    Moong dal vada look tempting sandhya! Love such quick to make snacks, these vada make a great appetizers for parties! Wonderful share !

    Reply
  7. Lata Lala says

    April 22, 2021 at 3:18 am

    5 stars
    These moong dal pakoras are our favourite ones. Quick and easy makes perfect choice for evening munch.
    Your vadas have turned out perfect crispy and golden brown Sandhya.

    Reply
  8. NARMADHA says

    April 21, 2021 at 10:27 pm

    5 stars
    Soaked moong dal to make it for the evening after seeing your pictures Sandhya. Moong dal pakoda looks so crispy and crunchy and perfect with hot cup of chai.

    Reply
  9. Radha says

    April 09, 2021 at 11:22 pm

    5 stars
    They are very tempting and I tried. They were perfect with tea. Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply
  10. Vaishali says

    April 06, 2021 at 9:24 pm

    Wow, such crisp pakodas - they look perfectly done and are tempting me to pi ck from the screen! Who can say no to such beauties !

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Sandhya

I am Sandhya Ramakrishnan, author, recipe developer and photographer in this journey! 'My Cooking Journey' is all about family friendly Vegetarian and Vegan recipes from around the World with focus on Indian cuisine.

Learn More about me →

Popular Posts

  • Boulanee Katchalu | Afghani Bolani | Stuffed Flatbread
  • Xian Bing | Chinese Stuffed Pancake - Vegetarian
  • Spicy Roasted Makhana | Roasted Foxnut
  • Gur Papdi | Gol Papdi | Sukhdi
  • Saag Aloo | Vegan Spinach And Potato Curry
  • 4 Ingredients Fruit Salad With Mango Pulp
  • Ginger Chutney | Andhra Allam Pachadi
  • Kerala Style Peas Masala Curry

Street Foods

  • Spicy Schezwan Fried Rice
  • Bhutte Ka Kees | Indore Style Grated Corn Snack
  • Churumuri | Beach Style Masala Pori
  • Green Peas Kachori | Bengali Matar Kachori
  • Air Fryer Arancini | Italian Rice Balls
  • Gobi Manchurian | Cauliflower Manchurian
  • Masala Chaas | Spiced Buttermilk
  • Dry Garlic Chutney Powder Recipe

Sign Up to Newsletter

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • About

Contact

  • Contact

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2022 · MyCookingJourney LLC

Sign Up to Newsletter

We'll keep you in the loop with our latest news and new content that we add at MyCookingJourney.com.

Enjoy the journey with us and share it with your family and friends!