Kothimbir Vadi Coriander Fritter Maharashtra

Method

1. 1

   Prepare the fresh coriander: Wash 2 cups fresh coriander leaves thoroughly. Shake off excess water. Finely chop — the smaller the pieces, the better the texture of the vadi. Measure 2 cups packed after chopping.

2. 2

   Mix the batter: In a wide bowl combine the chopped coriander, gram flour, turmeric, red chilli powder, sesame seeds, ajwain, asafoetida, ginger paste, chopped green chilli, lemon juice and salt. Mix everything together with your hands. The coriander leaves will begin to release some moisture as you mix — this is correct.

3. 3

   Add water gradually: Add water very carefully — the coriander releases moisture and you may need much less than 1/4 cup. The mixture should be very thick — like stiff dough, not a pourable batter. If the mixture looks very dry and the flour is not coming together, add water 1 tbsp at a time.

4. 4

   Prepare a greased plate or tray: Lightly grease a flat plate or a small tray with a few drops of oil.

5. 5

   Spread the mixture for steaming: Pour or press the gram flour-coriander mixture onto the greased plate. Press and spread it to an even thickness of about 1.5 to 2 cm using wet fingers or the back of a wet spoon. The surface should be smooth and even.

6. 6

   Steam the vadi: Place the plate in a steamer over boiling water. Cover and steam for 15 to 18 minutes on medium heat. The vadi is cooked when a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean with no wet batter.

7. 7

   Cool before cutting: Remove from the steamer. Let the steamed block cool for 10 minutes. Cutting while hot will cause it to crumble. Once slightly cooled, cut into rectangles or squares — about 3 cm x 4 cm. These are the vadis.

8. 8

   Shallow fry the vadis: Heat 3 to 4 tbsp oil in a flat pan on medium heat. Place the cut vadis in the oil in a single layer. Fry without moving for 2 to 3 minutes until the bottom turns deep golden and crispy.

9. 9

   Flip and fry all sides: Flip each vadi carefully. Fry the other side for 2 to 3 minutes. For very crispy vadis, also fry the thin edges by tilting each piece onto its side for 1 minute.

10. 10

    Serve: Drain on paper towels. Serve immediately while hot — the contrast of the crispy outside and the moist coriander-fragrant inside is at its best when fresh from the pan.

11. 11

    Note: Kothimbir Vadi (kothimbir = fresh coriander in Marathi) is a speciality of Pune and is sold at most Maharashtrian snack shops (farsan shops). It was originally a way to use the abundance of fresh coriander available in winter. The steaming-then-frying technique is shared with many Gujarati preparations like handvo and khandvi — a technique used across the western coast to achieve the dual texture.