Cabbage Vada was one of my Dad's favorite crunchy foods. My dad was the one who shopped for the vegetables, as his office was in Byculla, and he used to love to go to the main Crawford Market to buy in bulk, for our large family. When cabbage was brought home, we invariably knew what was one of the dishes that would be served. All of us loved it and looked forward to eating these.
As much as I love eating deep fried foods, recently I got my air fryer as I wanted to have a healthier option. I am trying to convert some of the traditional recipes that I have inherited from dear amma, vanni and some from friends and family, into air fryer recipes. My daughters and son in law love these foods, but are constantly looking for easy to make, as well as healthier options. Of course, we all enjoy indulging in fried foods, from time to time.
Cabbage Vada/Ambado
1. Traditional Recipe
Ingredients:
1⁄2 cup Raw rice
1/2 cup Yellow lentil/Tur dal
2 medium sized Onions finely chopped (more or less as per your choice)
2 and ½ cups chopped Cabbage
4 -5 Red chillies (less or more according to your taste)
2 tablespoons Grated coconut
1/2 tsp Tamarind concentrate or 1 teaspoon of tamarind pulp
Salt to taste
Steps:
1. Wash and drain rice and tur dal; soak them together for at least 2 hours.
2. Drain the water and grind the rice-dal mixture with the red chillies, tamarind, grated coconut
and salt into a coarse paste without adding any water. Coarsely ground batter with very
less or no water will give a nice crunch to the ambados. I use my food processor or
Vitamix to grind this.
3. Finely chop onions and cabbage and add to the batter, add the salt to taste, and mix it into a
thick mixture. You should be able to form the balls with the mix.
4. While the air fryer is heating, with greased hands, roll the mix into slightly flattened lemon
sized balls. Keep them on a lightly greased parchment paper, and brush with oil on the top as
well.
• These can also be deep fried. These can be eaten as an appetizer or an accompaniment with lunch or dinner.
2. Quick Method
Many times, we don’t have the time to plan and want to make something quick, tasty and easy to make. I have made cabbage ambado in a hurry many times, as I forgot to soak the dhal and rice or just because I wanted to eat something spicy and crunchy. Here is how I make it, I play around with the recipe until I have a consistency I can make into a flattened ball.
Recipe
Ingredients:
1 or 2 finely chopped Onions
2 cups finely chopped Cabbage
1 heaping tsp hot Chilli powder (more or less as per your taste)
A pinch of Hing (asafoetida) pd
A pinch of ajwain (carom seeds)
Salt to taste
2 – 3 heaping tablespoons Rice Flour
2 – 3 heaping tablespoons Besan
1 tablespoon Rice rawa or sooji(optional)
1/4 tsp Tamarind paste
Water – Only if needed
Steps:
• Mix all the ingredients except the flours, sooji and water, and keep aside for a few minutes. The onions and salt will release moisture.
• Slowly add in the rice flour and besan alternatively and sooji (optional) and mix well together, adding water only of necessary, until the mixture comes together and reaches a consistency where you can form the flat balls. These can also be deep fried until crispy.
Both the Traditional as well as the Quick Recipe can be made in the air fryer. I use a Breville Smart Oven
Air fryer Instructions
Preheat the air fryer at 400 degrees.
Place the flattened balls on a lightly greased parchment paper and spray or brush with oil on the top as well, and place on the grill in your preheated air fryer. (I use the Breville smart fryer)
Change the temperature to 375 degrees.
After 6 minutes, slowly flip and brush with oil and return to the air fryer.
After another 3 minutes, very carefully pull out the parchment paper so that the Vadas are directly on the air fryer grill.
Cook for few more minutes, till it is crispy enough for you. you may have to flip them over one more time. It takes me about 15 - 20 minutes in my air fryer. Temperatures vary, so please check for doneness.
It's just as good, I guarantee. I have learned to love it, and I am happy that I am eating tasty as well as healthy.
Just a note: If you are air-frying please add less of the chilli powder as it tends to taste spicier, since you are not frying in the hot oil. I think deep frying mellows the spice level a bit, so I make sure I add a little less chilli powder.
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