Jowar Vada: Sorghum Fritters

5 from 2 votes

Fritters made primarily from sorghum flour; Jowar Vada or Desai Vada is a delicious snack.

Crisp outside, soft inside and super flavorful; these are an absolute must-have for festive days like Diwali and beyond!

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Resting Time8

Total Time8 30

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: Gujarati, Indian

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 824kcal

Author: Smruti

In a large bowl mix together jowar, urad dal and wheat flours with yogurt.
Add enough water to make a thick batter. Mix well and set aside for 8-10 hours in a warm place till small bubbles are visible on the surface.
Once the batter is fermented, add red chili, chopped cilantro, ginger chili paste, turmeric powder, sesame seeds, baking soda, salt and sugar.
Mix everything well till the batter is fluffy and light. Add some water if required. This step is required for soft vadas.
Heat oil to medium high. Once the oil is hot, drop a dollop of the better in it.
Fry the vadas till crisp on all sides and remove on paper towels to drain excess oil.
Serve with masala chai and cilantro chutney.

To ensure the batter ferments well, it is best to mix the flours with yogurt and water using your palms. The heat from them helps kick start the fermentation process.

Baking soda works well when we mix the batter properly. Using a stand mixer with the beater attachment works well too.

Adjust the amount of green chili to make the vada less spicy. Adding jalapeños works well too.

Fry them on medium high so that the fritters cook through and are crisp outside. Do not fry them on high flame else the centers will not cook properly.

The vada can be kept at room temperature for a day or refrigerated for 4-5 days. They taste great at room temperature or when heated up for a few seconds in the microwave.