Rinse the chana dal for a couple of times in water.
Then soak them in enough water for 2 hours.
Later, in a blender or mixer-grinder, adddry red chili (deseeded and halved), fennel seeds, coriander seeds and black pepper. Grind the spices coarsely.
Drain the soaked chana dal very well. Then add the chana dal to the mixer-grinder or blender in which the spices were coarsely ground.
Grind the dal coarsely. Some whole chana dal should be there in the mixture.
Do not add water while blending. If you add water, then it becomes difficult to shape them. If you have difficult blending them, add 1 to 2 tablespoons water.
Remove the ground chana dal in a mixing bowl.
Add chopped onions, green chilies, ginger, curry leaves, coriander leaves, asafoetida and salt as per taste.
Mix very well.
Shaping and frying
Shape to medium sized vadai. Make medium sized balls and then flatten them. If you are not able to shape vadai, then add 1 or 2 tablespoons of rice flour in the mixture.
Heat oil for deep frying in a kadai or pan.
Let the oil become hot on medium-flame.
Check the oil temperature by dropping a small portion of the batter in the oil. If it comes up steadily and quickly, the oil is hot enough for frying vada.
Carefully and gently place the vadai in hot oil.
When one side becomes pale golden, turn over with a slotted spoon and fry the other side.
Fry until the masala vada becomes golden and crisp. Remove them with a slotted spoon and place on kitchen paper towels to remove extra oil.
Serve these spiced masala vada with coconut chutney.