Ambode - Lentil Fritters

India is known for fried stuffs. Be it Bhajiya, Vada or Pakoda. They are the best appetizers and the most easiest. One of these are Ambode or Lentil Fritters. It is from Karnataka and you can find most kannada people making it during festivals.

This is not to be confused with Masala Vada, unlike Masala Vada,  Ambode is made during festivals so onion is never added. They are nutritious and tasty. Needless to say if you simply can cook it, you can fry it as well. We make this using chana dal or split bengal gram. Chana dal needs to be soaked in water for at least an hour for this recipe, but the more it soaks in water, the better. I left it in water for almost 6 hours.

They can be enjoyed without any condiments as well. Kids like it with ketchup or tamarind sauce. Ambodes usually become soft after sometime like most of the fried items. Once it is soft or eaten the next day, you can dip it in rasam or curd to enhance the taste or in case its difficult to chew. My father-in-law enjoys eating it with payasa (pudding), another essential dessert during festivals.

While frying, it is best to either use vegetable, sunflower or any other oil which does not have any dominant flavor or pungent odor. Only fry 5-6 fritters in one batch as the temperature of oil might come down if the wok is overcrowded.

Serves: 4

Preparation Time: 25 mins

Ingrediants:

• 1 cup chana dal pre soaked for at least for 1 hour
• 2 dried red chillies 
• 2 green chillies - finely chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• A pinch of hing
• 1/2 cup coriander leaves or mint leaves
• 1 tbsp rice flour
• 5-6 curry leaves chopped
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• Oil for frying

Method:

• Use food processor to pulse channa dal and dried red chillies. Make sure not to add any water and not to make it a fine paste 
• Add this mixture to a bowl and add all the remaining ingredients to it except oil.
• Heat the oil in a wok and check the temperature. Best test is to add a pinch of this mixture to hot oil, if it comes to the surface then the oil is ready
• Make small lime sized balls of this mixture in hand and flatten it gently on palm and add it carefully to the oil. Do not prepare too many flat balls at once as it can dry if it stands for too long. Add about 5-6 in one batch.
• Fry them until golden brown and even coloring is seen.
• Drain of excess oil using a spider or a spotted spoon and place it on a plate covered with tissue paper.
• Check the fried batch for salt after it cools down a bit. Make the necessary adjustments in case required to the raw mixture and continue frying in batches.