bajra vada (pearl millet flour patties)

Bajra vada recipe with stepwise pics – Gujarati style vada or patties made from pearl millet flour, spices and herbs. A vegan snack.

Recently on one of the days when it was raining heavily, I had made these vadas. They are easy to prepare and makes for a nice monsoon snack with the evening chai.

A variation of this tasty snack, has methi or fenugreek leaves added to it. There is also curd added to the recipe, which gives these patties a good soft texture. Bajra is a warming food, so good when the climate is cold.

Instead of deep-frying, you can also shallow fry the bajra vada or even make flatbreads and roast them on a tava/skillet. The recipe has some whole wheat flour added to it. If you are allergic to gluten, then just skip adding whole wheat flour.

Serve bajra vada with plain curd or spiced curd or with tea. They can also be packed for picnics or travels. They stay well in an airtight jar or box for 8 to 10 days.

How to make bajra vada

1. Take 1 cup bajra flour (pearl millet flour) in a mixing bowl or in a rimmed plate/thali.

2. Add 2 tbsp whole wheat flour.

3. Then add a paste of 1 green chili + 2 garlic cloves + ½ inch ginger. You can crush the ginger-garlic-chili in a mortar-pestle or in a small grinder. Also, add 3 tbsp chopped coriander leaves.

4. Now add the spices – ¼ tsp turmeric powder, ¼ tsp red chili powder, ½ tsp coriander powder, ½ tsp cumin powder, 3 tsp white sesame seeds, ½ tsp sugar and salt as per taste. You can add more sugar if you want.

5. Then add 2 tbsp curd.

6. With a spoon mix everything very well.

7. Now add 1 tbsp oil. Again mix.

8. Then add 2 tbsp water and mix again.

9. Add 1 to 2 tbsp more of the water and knead the dough. Do add more water if required. I added 4.5 tbsp water.

10. Knead to a smooth dough. Make a dough that is not very soft nor too tight. If the dough becomes soft, then add 1 or 2 tbsp or more of the bajra flour. If the dough becomes hard or looks dry, then add 1 to 2 tbsp water or as required. Cover and keep aside the dough for 30 minutes or for a couple of hours. You can also keep overnight. The longer you keep the more softer textured vadas you will get and they will also puff up nicely when frying.

Making bajra vada

11. Make small to medium-sized balls from the dough.

12. Rub little water in your palms and shape each ball into a vada or patty. The patty should not be thick or too thin. You can also roll the dough balls with a rolling pin in a zip lock bag.

13. Heat oil for deep frying in a kadai or pan. gently slid the vada in the hot oil. The oil should be medium hot.

14. prepare more vadas and add them to the oil.

15. When one side is half done, turn over and fry the other side.

16. Fry till golden and remove with a slotted spoon.

17. Place the fried bajra vada on kitchen paper towels to remove excess oil.

18. Serve bajra vada hot or warm. accompany the vadas with fresh or spiced curd/yogurt or with evening chai. These vadas stay good for a week and also can be had as a picnic or travel snack.

More snacks recipes 

• Cheese balls
• French fries
• Khaman Dhokla
• Hara bhara kabab
• Vazhaipoo vadai – banana flower vada

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Bajra Vada

4.67 from 12 votes

By Dassana Amit

These Gujarati bajra vada are crisp and soft patties made from pearl millet flour.

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 30 mins

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Cuisine Gujarati

Course: Snacks

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Servings 2 to 3

Units

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 cup bajra flour (pearl millet flour)
• ▢ 2 tablespoon whole wheat flour
• ▢ 2 tablespoon curd (yogurt)
• ▢ 1 green chili + 2 garlic cloves + ½ inch ginger - crushed to a paste in a mortar-pestle
• ▢ 3 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves
• ▢ 3 teaspoon white sesame seeds
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon red chili powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon coriander powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon cumin powder
• ▢ 1 tablespoon oil
• ▢ ½ teaspoon sugar or add as required
• ▢ 4.5 tablespoon water or add as required
• ▢ salt as required
• ▢ oil for deep frying

Instructions

making dough

• Take 1 cup bajra flour in a mixing bowl or in a rimmed plate/thali.
• Add 2 tbsp whole wheat flour/atta. Then add a paste of 1 green chili + 2 garlic cloves + 1/2 inch ginger. Also add 3 tbsp chopped coriander leaves.
• Now add the spices - 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1/4 tsp red chili powder, 1/2 tsp coriander powder, 1/2 tsp cumin powder, 3 tsp white sesame seeds, 1/2 tsp sugar and salt as per taste.
• Then add 2 tbsp curd. With a spoon mix everything very well.
• Now add 1 tbsp oil. Again mix.
• Then add 2 tbsp water and mix again.
• Add 1 to 2 tbsp more of the water and knead the dough. Do add more water if required. I added 4.5 tbsp water.
• Knead to a smooth dough. Make a dough which is not very soft nor too tight. If the dough becomes soft, then add 1 or 2 tbsp or more of the bajra flour. If the dough become hard or looks dry, then add 1 to 2 tbsp water or as required.
• Cover and keep aside the bajra dough for 30 minutes or for a couple of hours.
• Make small to medium sized balls from the dough.
• Rub little water in your palms and shape each ball into a vada or patty. The patty should not be thick or thin. About 1/8 of an inch. Thinner than an aloo tikki.

frying bajra vada

• Heat oil for deep frying in a kadai or pan.
• Gently slid the vada in the hot oil. The oil should be medium hot.
• Prepare more vadas and add them to the oil.
• When one side is half done, turn over and fry the other side.
• Fry them till golden and remove with a slotted spoon.
• Place on kitchen paper towels to remove excess oil.
• Serve bajra vada hot or warm. Accompany the vadas with fresh or spiced curd/yogurt or with evening chai. 
• These bajra vada stay good for a week too and also can be made as a picnic or travel snack.

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