gujaratiEasyveganvegetariandairy freenut free

Ponk Vada

Name: Ponk Vada
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: gujarati
Ingredients: 2 cup ponk (fresh tender sorghum grains, lightly cleaned); 0.75 cup chickpea flour; 2 tbsp rice flour; 1 pcs onion (small, finely chopped); 2 pcs green chili (finely chopped); 1 inch ginger (grated); 3 tbsp coriander leaves (finely chopped); 1 tsp sesame seeds; 1 pinch red chili powder; 1 pinch turmeric powder; 1 pinch asafoetida; 0.5 tsp salt; 0.5 tsp sugar; 1 tbsp lemon juice; 2 tbsp water (to bind the mixture if needed); 2 cup oil for frying

RATING

4.2/5(28)

TASTE SCORE

8/10

A winter favorite from Gujarat, these crisp little fritters are made with tender fresh sorghum, herbs, and gram flour. They fry up golden outside while staying soft and juicy in the middle.

PREP

20m

COOK

20m

SERVES

1 PIECE

111 cal

SERVINGS

METHOD · 5 STEPS

prep · ~8 min
Prepare the ponk and aromatics.
1.Pick through the ponk and remove any husk or rough bits.
2.Finely chop the onion and green chili.
3.Grate the ginger and chop the coriander leaves.
mix · ~5 min
Make the vada mixture.
1.Add ponk, chickpea flour, rice flour, onion, green chili, ginger, coriander leaves, and sesame seeds to a bowl.
2.Season with red chili powder, turmeric powder, asafoetida, salt, and sugar.
3.Add lemon juice and mix well.
4.Sprinkle in water a little at a time and make a thick mixture that holds when pressed.
TIPKeep the mixture thick. If it turns loose, add 1 more tbsp chickpea flour.
rest · ~10 min
Rest the mixture for 10 minutes.
fry · ~15 min
Fry the vada until golden.
1.Heat oil for frying in a deep pan over medium heat.
2.Take small portions of the mixture and gently drop or shape them into rough vada.
3.Fry in batches until crisp and golden brown on all sides, about 4 to 5 minutes per batch.
4.Lift out and let excess oil drip back into the pan.
TIPDo not overcrowd the pan or the vada will soak up oil and lose their crisp edge.
serve
Serve the ponk vada hot.

PRO TIPS

What to keep in mind.

7 tips from the recipe — small details that make a real difference to the final dish.

1
Keep the batter thick and chunky so the ponk stays juicy instead of turning pasty.
2
Resting for 10 minutes helps the besan hydrate and makes shaping the rough vada easier.
3
If the mixture loosens after resting, add a spoonful of chickpea flour before frying.
4
Fry on medium heat; high heat browns the outside before the onion and batter cook through.
5
Drop small, uneven portions rather than large patties for a crisper edge and softer center.
6
Serve immediately with green chutney and extra lemon for the best contrast to the sweet ponk.
7
Leftover vada can be recrisped in an air fryer or hot oven; avoid microwaving them.