Super crunchy and beautifully spiced, this Parippu vada is a delightful evening snack originated in the Kerala region of India.
The vadas come together super quick with just a few ingredients and minutes of kitchen time. They’re made with chana dal and pack in lots of protein, which makes them super healthy too.
Another big plus is the fact that the vadas can be prepped in advance too.
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Ingredients For the Parippu Vada Recipe
You’ll need just a few simple ingredients to make the Parippu Vada
- Chana dal (Split chickpeas - soaked overnight): 1 cup
- Green chili (chopped): 1
- Onions (finely chopped): ¼ cup
- Ginger garlic paste: 1 tsp
- Curry leaves (chopped): 8-10 leaves
- Red chili powder: ½ tsp
- Salt: ½ teaspoon or as per taste
- Oil (for frying): As required
How to Make the Parippu Vada
Once you have all the ingredients ready, here’s what you’ll need to do to make the Parippu vada.
Soak the split chickpeas overnight or for at least 5 hours.
Then transfer the soaked chickpeas to a blender and make a smooth paste. If a few pieces of the split chickpeas remain then it is perfectly fine. The paste doesn't need to be completely smooth.
Next, transfer the paste into a mixing bow and add in the green chilies, onions, ginger garlic paste, curry leaves, red chili powder, and salt. Mix all together.
Make round disc shaped pieces and set aside.
Heat oil for frying and fry the pieces for 5-6 minutes over medium flame or until they turn golden brown.
Serve hot as a snack with tea or coffee.
Frequently Asked Questions
I have used only chana dal to make the vadas, but some versions of this recipe also call for the use of toor dal (split pigeon peas) in addition to the chana dal. If you have it at hand, you can use it too.
Just remember to soak both the dals overnight to get them to soften up nicely.
If you have any leftovers, you can move them to an airtight container and refrigerate them. They should stay fresh for 2-3 days.
You can then reheat the vadas in the microwave or your Air Fryer.
You can also choose to prepare the batter for the vadas a couple of days in advance and refrigerate it.
Then, all you need to do is get the batter out a couple hours before you want to fry and serve the vadas. 
Tips & Tricks to Make the Parippu Vada
Ready to make the chana dal vadas? Here are some tips and tricks you might want to take note of.
- I used ginger garlic paste to add some flavor to the chana dal vadas, but you can also experiment with the flavors and use only ginger paste or garlic paste.
- Green chillies are what bring the heat into these vadas. You can add as much or as little as your spice tolerance goes.
- Remember to add the vadas into the oil only when the oil is hot enough. If you add them in too early, they might end up soaking a lot of oil.
- Once you add the vadas in, turn down the heat and let them cook until they’re golden brown and crispy.
- If you’re looking for a healthier way to make these vadas, you can choose to cook them in the Air Fryer instead of deep frying them.
- If you’re air frying the chana dal vadas, remember to shape them a bit smaller and arrange them in a single layer in the Air Fryer basket, leaving a bit of space between the vadas.
- You’ll also need to remember to grease the vadas with just a bit of oil on both sides, and flip the vadas midway through the cooking time to get them crunchy on both sides.
- To make the Parippu vadas more crunchy, you can add some rice flour into the mixture as well.
Serving Ideas & Suggestions
These crispy and crunchy chana dal vadas can be enjoyed as a midday or evening snack with your favorite chutney or ketchup. You can also team it up with your evening tea.
The vadas can also make for a wonderful side dish to go with any of your favorite Indian main dishes.
If you enjoyed making these crispy and crunchy vadas and are inspired to try some more such snack recipes, here are a few good options to pick from.
- Chana Gobi Masala Recipe
- Air Fried Moong Dal Vada With Green Chutney
- Spicy and Crispy Moong Dal Namkeen
📖 Recipe
Parippu vada | Chana Dal Vada
Ingredients
- 1 cup Chana Dal , (Split chickpeas - soaked overnight)
- 1 Green Chili , (chopped)
- ¼ cup Onions , (finely chopped)
- 1 teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste
- 10 pcs Curry Leaves , (chopped)
- ½ teaspoon Red Chili Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup Oil , (for frying)
Instructions
- Soak the split chickpeas overnight or for at least 5 hours.
- Then transfer the soaked chickpeas to a blender and make a smooth paste. If a few pieces of the split chickpeas remain then it is perfectly fine. The paste doesn't need to be completely smooth.
- Next, transfer the paste into a mixing bow and add in the green chilies, onions, ginger garlic paste, curry leaves, red chili powder, and salt. Mix all together.
- Make round disc shaped pieces and set aside.
- Heat oil for frying and fry the pieces for 5-6 minutes over medium flame or until they turn golden brown.
- Serve hot as a snack with tea or coffee.
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