Air Fryer Cabbage Vadai | Lentil Fritters

Deep-fried snacks are everyone's favorite, but if we can have the same flavor in a healthier way, it is guilt-free indulgence. These Cabbage Vadai / lentil fritters made in the air fryer are just that and they are so simple to make.

Paruppu vadai also known as Aama vadai is a very common recipe made for weddings and Indian festivals. Vadai as such is made with lentils. The medhu vadai or the 'vadai with the hole' is made with Urad dal / ullutham paruppu, whereas this Paruppu Vadai is made with a mixture of lentils.

The most common street food in Southern India is the Masala Vadai. This recipe is very similar to the masala vadai, except it has not onion or garlic. Indian festival menu does not contain any onion or garlic in the recipes. So this vadai has the cabbage for the crunch and flavor.

Can we make Vadai in Air Fryer?

Until I owned an air fryer, I was one of those very skeptical person who had many questions about the flavors and texture when made in an air fryer. Now that I have been playing quite a bit with mine, I am in love with it.

We can absolutely make these lentil fritters in the air fryer. We can make any kind of fritter that does not have a loose batter in the air fryer and it will work just fine.

Making these cabbage vadai in the air fryer saves me a lot of hands on time that I would otherwise spend when deep frying them.

Ingredients needed

Lentils - We use a mixture of 3 different lentils in the paruppu vadai. Check the recipe card for the lentils and the quantity.

Cabbage - We need finely chopped cabbage for the recipe. I have used green cabbage but the purple cabbage would be a great alternate as well.

Chilies - We will be using fresh green chilies and dry red chilies for the recipe.

Other Ingredients - We need salt to taste, asafetida for flavoring and finally some curry leaves. I used about 1 tablespoon of oil to brush the fritters.

Step by Step Process

1. Soak the lentils for couple of hours and drain them.
2. Grind the soaked lentils into a coarse paste in a food processor or blender adding the chilies and other spices.
3. Add the chopped cabbage and curry leaves and mix well.
4. Shape them into flat circles and keep it ready.
5. Preheat the air fryer for about 3 minutes and spray the tray with a thin layer of oil. Arrange the shaped vadai in the air fryer.
6. Fry until golden brown on all the sides.

Expert Tips

• Soak the lentils together for not more than couple of hours. If you are planning on grinding the batter a little later, drain the lentils after soaking in a colander. If it soaks too long, the batter will be very smooth and the texture of the vadai / fritter will be different.
• Grind the batter for the vadai coarsely. My mom always placed a bit of whole lentils (soaked) aside and added them to the ground batter for the crunchy texture.
• Do not add much water at all when grinding. I will highly recommend draining the lentils in a colander after soaking for few minutes and then grinding it.
• Food processor works the best for grinding this batter.
• Add the cabbage right before you are ready to make the vadai. If added earlier, it will let out water and the batter will become loose.
• Shape the vadai / fritter thin as it helps in faster cooking. Also keep the shape and size of all the vadais similar as it helps in even cooking.
• Spray or brush the vadai with oil for even frying.
• Do not over crowd the basket of the air fryer.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can this batter be used for deep frying - Absolutely, this recipe is originally made and used for deep frying. Air frying is a new technique to make it healthier.
• Can I use any other vegetable for the batter - Onion is a very popular and delicious addition to the batter. We can also add dill leaves, mint and cilantro, Banana flowers / vazhaipoo to the same lentil batter.
• Can I store the vadai batter to use later - I usually fry it just when we are ready to eat. Yes, you can store the batter for few hours outside or if longer, keep it in the refrigerator. Just make sure that you add the vegetables before frying as it adds moisture to the batter.