Kothimbir Vadi – The savoury crispy snack from the Maharashtrian Cuisine

December 10, 2021

Savory Crispy Maharashtrian snack

Kothimbir vadi is a delicious savory crisp snack from the Maharashtrian cuisine made with gram flour (besan), coriander leaves, peanut, sesame seeds and spices.

These savory and flavorful bites can be pan-fried or deep-fried. They are a popular teatime fritter snack loaded with coriander leaves (cilantro).

What is Kothimbir Vadi?

Tea Time Snacks

In Marathi language “kothimbir” stands for coriander leaves. The word ‘vadi’ means cubes or slices or wedges. So these are basically steamed coriander and gram flour cake cubes that are fried.

Prepare it right!

To prepare kothimbir vadi is very simple. You need to first prepare a thick batter mixture from the ingredients and later steam it until firm and well cooked. This steamed cake is then cut into squares or cubes, which we call as vadi and then fried.

Here’s the low-fat version!

For a low-fat version, you can consider skipping the last frying part and eat the steamed cake bites or vadis as it is. They taste delicious even when not fried. 

Tempting tempering!

Alternatively, you can even temper with some oil, mustard seeds, hing (asafoetida) and curry leaves and then add this tempering on the steamed vadi. Then garnish with some fresh grated coconut.

Serving combinations

Serve kothimbir vadi with green chutney, coconut chutney or tamarind dates chutney or mint chutney. These coriander fritters also pairs well with plain curd (yogurt) or tomato ketchup.

Let’s get cooking Kothimbir Vadi:

kothimbir vadi
  • Prep Time 20 mins
  • Cook Time 15 mins
  • Total Time 35 mins
  • Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

For Roasting Peanuts:

  • ¼ cup peanuts

For Ground Paste:

  • 1 tsp. ginger
  • 1 tsp. garlic
  • 2 green chilies or 2 tsp. green chilies
  • 1 to 2 tbsp. water for grinding

Other Ingredients:

  • 2 cups coriander leaves – finely chopped
  • ¼ tsp. turmeric powder (ground turmeric)
  • ¼ tsp. red chili powder or cayenne pepper
  • ½ tsp. coriander powder (ground coriander)
  • ½ tsp. cumin powder (ground cumin)
  • 1 pinch asafoetida (hing) – optional
  • White sesame seeds – 1 tbsp.
  • 1 cup besan (gram flour or chickpea flour)
  • ½ tsp. sugar – optional
  • Salt as required
  • ½ cup water for batter

For Steaming:

  • 1 to 1.5 cups water

For Frying:

  • 3 tablespoons oil

How to make Kothimbir Vadi:

  • Heat a pan and keep the flame on low to medium.
  • Add ¼ cup peanuts. Stir at intervals and roast till the peanuts become crunchy. The peanuts skin will also have some brown-black spots on them. Remove them on a plate and let them cool.
  • Rub the peanuts in your palms. This will remove the flaky skin. Now add the peanuts in a small grinder jar or small blender.
  • Grind to a coarse powder. Remove and keep aside.
  • In the same small grinder, add 1 tsp. ginger, 1 tsp. garlic and 2 green chilies.
  • Add 1 to 2 tbsp. water and grind to a smooth paste. Keep aside. Alternatively, you can even crush the garlic, ginger and green chilies in a mortar-pestle.

Making kothimbir vadi batter:

Maharashtrian Snacks Recipe
  • Rinse coriander leaves nicely in fresh water a few times. Then drain the extra water and finely chop the coriander leaves. 
  • You will need 2 cups of finely chopped coriander leaves. Take the coriander leaves in a mixing bowl.
  • Add the ginger, garlic, green chilli paste.
  • Now add the following ground spices:
  1. ¼ tsp. turmeric powder
  2. ¼ tsp. red chili powder
  3. ½ tsp. coriander powder
  4. ½ tsp. cumin powder 
  5. 1 pinch of asafoetida (hing) – optional
  • Next add the coarsely ground peanut powder and 1 tbsp. white sesame seeds.
  • Add 1 cup besan (gram flour).
  • Add ½ tsp. sugar (optional) and salt as required. You can also add 1 to 2 pinch of baking soda at this step for a more softer texture in the vadi.
  • Mix everything very well with a spoon.
  • Now add ½ cup water in parts and begin to mix the batter.
  • Mix well to a thick batter. Add water as required and in parts.

Steaming kothimbir vadi:

  • Grease a pan very well with some oil. Use any neutral flavored oil or peanut oil.
  • Now add the prepared batter to the greased pan.
  • Bring to boil 1 to 1.5 cups water in another pan. Place a small stand inside this pan before you begin heating the water.
  • Once the water comes to a boil, lower the heat. Place the pan with the batter on the stand kept in the boiling water.
  • Cover with a lid and steam on a low to medium flame.
  • Once done, check with a toothpick and it should come out clean. When the steamed kothimbir vadi cake is cooled, then gently remove the entire cake on a plate.
  • To remove the steamed cake, with a butter knife loosen the edges and invert the pan on a plate.
  • Now cut in square or diamond shaped slices as desired.

Frying kothimbir vadi:

  • Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a frying pan. Place the steamed kothimbir vadi slices and pan fry on medium flame. You can also deep-fry if you prefer for a more crispy texture.
  • When the base is golden, flip and fry the other side.
  • Flip a couple of times more and fry till the sides are crisp and golden.
  • Place the pan-fried kothimbir vadi on paper towels to absorb any excess oil.
  • Fry the remaining batches in the same way.
  • Serve kothimbir vadi hot or warm with any chutney or sauce of your choice. You can serve them with coconut chutney, mint chutney or coriander chutney.

Special Tips:

kothimbir vadi Recipe
  • Use fresh coriander leaves that are tender with a fresh bright green color. You can also use coriander stems if they are soft and tender. Coriander leaves are the star of this recipe. So make sure to use the variety, which has a more potent flavor and a good aroma.
  • You can add less green chilies if you want. For a spicy kothimbir vadi you can either add more green chilies or increase the amount of red chili powder.
  • Kothimbir vadi can also be deep-fried instead of pan-frying them. Deep-frying will give a more crispy texture.
  • For a no garlic version, skip the garlic.
  • For a gluten-free version, skip adding asafoetida or use gluten-free asafoetida.
  • Recipe can be halved or doubled easily if making as a snack for small parties.

Nutrition Facts:

  • Serving 1 piece:
  • Calories: 78 Cal.
  • Carbs: 5g
  • Dietary Fiber: 1g
  • Protein: 1g
  • Sodium: 232 mg
  • Cholesterol: 1 mg
  • Vitamin A: 1 %
  • Vitamin C: 4 %
  • Calcium 4: %
  • Iron: 5 %

FAQs

What is Kothimbir Vadi made of?

Kothimbir vadi is a delicious savory crisp snack from the Maharashtrian cuisine made with gram flour (besan), coriander leaves, peanut, sesame seeds and spices. They are a popular teatime snack loaded with coriander leaves (cilantro).

Is Kothimbir Vadi good for health?

Yes, this is healthy. Kothimbir Vadi is a steamed snack made of corainder, besan and spices.

What is kothimbir called in English?

Kothimbir is called coriander leaves or cilantro in English.

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