Crispy Alasanda Vada

Crispy Alasanda Vada is delicious, vegan, gluten-free and plant-protein rich fritter made with black-eyed peas. These crisp and nutritious vadas are popular street snack in Andhra and Rayalaseema regions. In Andhra Alasanda vada is also called Bobbaralu Garelu and is often made during festivals and celebrations.

What is Alasanda?

Alasanda or Alasandalu is a Telugu name for Black Eyed Peas (beans). These peas are called Bobbaralu in Andhra and Alasandalu in Rayalaseema regions.

Lobia or Chawli is the hindi name for Alasanda. These are also called as Cow Peas and Alasandi or Alasande in Kannada. In Marathi lobia is called Chavli and in Tamil these are called Karamani.

One Recipe, Many Names

This Alasanada Vada goes by different names in different regions. Here are some of them,

Alasanda Vadalu – Andhra (Rayalaseema Region)

Bobbaralu Garelu – Andhra

Lobia Vada

Chawali Vada or Chavli Vada

Alasande Vade – Karnataka

Karamani Vadai – Tamil Nadu

Food never fails to amaze me. Our today’s recipe is one such example. The recipe of this alasanda vada is almost same in all these regions. Just little addition or subtraction of ingredients depending on taste and family requirements continue. As Guy Fieri says, Food is maybe the only universal thing that really has the power to bring everyone together.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are these vada vegan?

Yes, these are 100% vegan.

Are these vada nutritious?

 Yes, these vada are gluten-free and rich in fibre. These are good source of plant-protein too.

Can I air fry Alasanda Vadas?

Yes, you can air fry these vadas. Spray the base of the air fryer and place the vadas. Cook for 10-12 minutes on 200⁰C.

Gently flip and spray oil, cook for another 5-6 minutes at the same temperature. Remove and serve hot.

Can I bake Alasanda Vadas?

Alternatively, you can bake these vadas too. Brush baking tray with oil or cover it with foil. Line these vadas side by side with 5–6-inch gap in between.

Bake them in a preheated oven at 220⁰C for 12-15 minutes. Flip, spray oil and again bake for 4-5 minutes. Leave for 10 minutes and carefully remove into a serving bowl or plate.

NOTE: If you are planning to air fry or bake these lobia vada, then make a hole in the center for even cooking of the vadas.

Nutrition in Lobia | Black Eyed Beans

Is lobia good for health?

Here are five points, which will tempt you to include these black-eyed peas in your diet:

• Helps in controlling blood cholesterol.
• Regulates blood sugar levels.
• Good for weight loss as these are low-fat and low-calorie beans.
• Rich in Vitamin A and Vitamin C, which helps in delaying aging.
• Presence of antioxidants helps in preventing hair loss and gives shine to the hair.

Crispy Alasanda Vada are,

Nutritious,

Vegan

Gluten-Free

Contains Fibre

High in Plant-Protein

Easy To Make

Kid-Friendly

Nut-Free

Dairy Free

Iftar Special – Lobia Vada

I learnt to make these vadas from my mami. My mami makes these often during Ramadan in iftar. I either make Lobia Curry or Sundal, but never made vada out of them.

When I first tasted these, I could not even guess the main ingredient, lobia. I do not know why we call these lobae (lo-bay) ke vadae at home. I rarely make fried snack in iftar, but this vada have been regular since the time I tasted them at my mami’s house.

Follow my recipe and tips to make crunchy, delicious and nutritious lobia vada.

Tips to make crispy Alasanda Vada

• Ensure to soak lobia (black-eyed peas) for at least 6-8 hours or overnight. The more you soak, the softer they become upon grinding.
• Always fry vadas on medium heat. Lobia vadas will take long time to cook. Be patient while frying these.
• If cooked on high flame, the vadas turn brown fast, but will not be cooked from inside.
• Do not overcrowd the skillet with vadas, at only 2-3 depending on the size of the vada.
• I made small (mini) lobia vadas, so I did not make hole in middle as we usually do while making vadas.
• But if you are making normal size vadas, then make a hole in the middle to ensure even cooking of vada.
• Try to grind the batter thick, do not add more than 3-4 tbsp. of water to the batter.
• The batter of lobia vada should be thick and coarsely ground.
• You can either finely slice and add onion, green chilies, ginger and cumin to batter or you can coarsely ground these along with batter.

You may also like,

Andhra Medu Vada

Cheese Pav Bhaji

Punugulu

Mirchi Bajji

Medu Bonda

Vada Pav

Yield: 15

Crispy Alasanda Vada

Print

Alasanda Vada is delicious, vegan, gluten-free and plant-protein rich fritter made with black-eyed peas. In Andhra Alasanda vada is also called Bobbaralu Garelu and is often made during festivals and celebrations. These are also popular street food in Andhra and Rayalaseema regions.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup Lobia
• 1 Onion, sliced
• 2 Green chilies, cut into half
• 1 tbsp. Cumin
• 1 sprig Curry leaves, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp. Rice flour, optional
• Salt, as per taste
• Oil for deep frying

Instructions

How to make Rayalaseema Alasanda Vada Recipe

STEP 1: Soaking

1. Thoroughly wash and soak lobia (alasandalu) in enough water for 6-8 hours or overnight.

STEP 2: Grinding

1. Drain the water from lobia. Add to mixer jar and ground coarsely.
2. If required, add 3-4 tbsp. of water and grind. (Do not grind it too smooth.)

STEP 3: Mixing

1. Remove the mixture in the bowl and add finely chopped onions, green chili, ginger, curry leaves, salt and cumin.
2. Mix well and add rice flour (if using).
3. Combine well. (Rice flour will help in absorbing the moisture and we get crisp vadas.)
4. Leave this to rest for 10 minutes.

STEP 4: Frying

1. In the meantime, heat enough oil in a skillet. When the oil is hot enough, reduce the flame and start adding vadas.

STEP 5: Shaping

1. Grease your fingers and palm with oil and pinch a small lemon size mixture from batter and gently flatten it over your fingers. It should look like a pattie.
2. Carefully drop one by one in the oil. Depending on the size of the skillet, add 2-3 at a time.
3. Do not overcrowd the skillet. Keep turning the vadas at regular intervals. Ensure to cook evenly on all sides.
4. Fry the vadas on medium flame only.
5. When the vadas turn brown on all the sides and are completely cooked from inside, then using a slotted spoon remove them.
6. Remove the vadas on a kitchen tissue or kitchen towel. Repeat and complete rest of the batter.
7. Serve hot with chutney or pickle.

Notes

Lubna’s Serving Suggestions:

Generally, Alasanda Vadalu are served with spicy, flavorful and aromatic chicken curry.

These are also served with coconut or tomato or peanut chutney.

If making in evening snack, then you can serve with any pickle of your choice.

Tastes best when served with ginger (allam pachadi) or tomato pickle.

I served these crisp lobia vadas with Kairi Tamatar ki Chutney (Raw Mango Tomato Chutney | Mamidikaya Tamata Chutney) along with elaichi chai.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 65Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 150mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 1g

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