Kothimbir Vadi are these delicious fritters made with Fresh Coriander and Besan (Gram Flour) that are a popular tea-time snack in Maharashtra. This version that I make is pan-fried (as opposed to the traditional deep-frying) without any compromise in flavour.
Grind 2 green chillies, 3 cloves of garlic, and 1" piece of ginger to a coarse paste.
{Optional} Making the Coriander-Cumin Powder
Dry roast 1 tsp of cumin.
Dry roast 1 tbsp coriander.
Grind the two roasted spices together to a fine powder.
Start Up the Steamer
Add enough water to a steamer or pressure cooker (remove the weight from the pressure cooker).
Over medium heat, let the steam build.
Making the Dough for the Kothimbir Vadi
Sieve one cup besan to ensure it is free of lumps.
To a large bowl, add 1 cup finely chopped coriander leaves, the green chilli-ginger-garlic paste, cumin-coriander powder (if you are using it), 1/2 tsp sugar, 1 tbsp sesame seeds, 1/2 tsp turmeric, and salt as required.
Mix well and set aside for 5 minutes. In this time, the mix will become wet because of the moisture content in the coriander.
Now gradually add the besan and mix well. In most cases, you may not need any additional water.
If needed, add a little water, 1 tsp at a time, and make a firm but pliable dough.
Add a few drops of oil to the bowl and roll the dough in the oil to get a shiny crack free, non-sticky dough ball.
Making the Kothimbir Vadi
Grease your palms with a few drops of oil.
Divide the dough into 2 parts and roll each part into a 4" to 5" long log that is about 2" in diameter.
Over high heat, steam the rolls for about 7 to 8 minutes.
Let the steamer/cooker cool a bit and take the steamed rolls out.
Let the rolls cool till they are just warm to touch.
Using a sharp knife, slice the rolls into discs about 1/2" thick.
Over medium flame, heat the tava.
Add about 1 tsp oil to a tava or a pan.
Place the Kothimbir Vadi on the tava and let it cook till the side touching the tava is crisp and is just starting to turn brown.
Flip over each of the vadis and let the flip side cook till crisp and brown. Drizzle a few drops of oil onto the tava, if needed.
Serve the Kothimbir Vadi immediately with a cup of Ginger Tea.