By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 14, 2026
Serves 11
127 cal · 80 min
Artichoke Masala Vadai
Recipe GLPRe142bcad6cffec
Crispy golden fritters blending tender baby artichokes with nutty split garbanzo beans, aromatic herbs, and spices. These savory deep-fried patties combine the earthiness of chana dal with fresh cilantro, mint, and green chillies for a bold, satisfying Southern Indian-inspired snack or main course.
Save recipes you love
Create a free Grocery List Plus account to save recipes, rate them, and add every ingredient to your grocery list in one tap.
Ingredients
10 Baby artichokes
1 cup Split dried garbanzo beans (chana dal)
1½ Green chillies
2 Scallions, white and light green parts only, chopped
⅛ cup Fresh cilantro, chopped
⅛ cup Fresh mint, chopped
to taste Salt
as needed Oil for deep frying
Directions
Rinse the split garbanzo beans thoroughly and soak them in water for at least 30 minutes, or until they have softened slightly but remain firm; drain well.
Prepare the baby artichokes by removing the outer leaves and tough parts. Cut the artichokes in half lengthwise, scoop out the fuzzy choke centers, and finely mince the remaining tender 'meat' to yield approximately 2/3 cup.
Finely mince the green chillies, removing seeds if you prefer less heat.
Transfer the drained chana dal to a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground, leaving some texture rather than making it powder-fine.
In a mixing bowl, combine the ground chana dal with the minced artichoke, green chillies, chopped scallions, cilantro, and mint. Add salt to taste and mix thoroughly until the mixture holds together when pressed.
Divide the mixture into 11 equal portions. Shape each portion into a flat round patty or small donut shape, about 2.5 to 3 inches in diameter and roughly 1/2 inch thick.
Heat oil in a deep, heavy-bottomed pot or deep fryer to 350°F (175°C).
Carefully place the shaped vadai fritters into the hot oil, a few at a time, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Fry until they turn golden brown on both sides, approximately 3 to 4 minutes per side, turning once with a slotted spoon.
Transfer the fried vadai to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. Serve hot with your choice of chutney or as part of a main course meal.
Comments
Chana dal is the brake: it's not standard at Charlotte-area Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Kroger, or Walmart, so you're looking at ALDI or a dedicated Indian grocer, which adds a special trip for a weeknight. Fresh artichokes, while available at most chains, need trimming and cooking before they go into the batter, and the stated 80 minutes undersells the actual time needed—budget closer to 100 minutes once you account for prepping the artichoke hearts. The ingredient list is tight and the technique straightforward, making it a solid household dish for 11 servings that reheats decently, but the dal sourcing and real prep time mean this suits planned cooking, not a spontaneous dinner.
Sign in or create a free account to add your review.
