By Sandhya Rege Nadkarni
INDIA New England Columnist
Are you ready for the most loved Maharashtrian savory snack, gluten free, vegan and now non-fried, but equally yummy? If you are, they do try this scrumptious waffle that is crispy on the outside and fluffy inside. What’s more? My version of Kothimbir Vadi is ready in a just few minutes as opposed to the traditional recipe! Get this recipe for all the taste without the hassle.
If you love pakodas, you will love kothimbir vadi. It is a favorite tea time or anytime snack in Maharashtra, India. Kothimbir is the Marathi word for the coriander or cilantro plant. In the traditional recipe, the leaves are combined with besan or chick pea flour along with aromatic spices, steamed, cooled, cut and then fried.
In my quest to get the same taste without frying, I made kothimbir vadi in my Belgian waffle iron. To the batter which is normally made of besan flour, I added idli rawa, which is cream of parboiled rice. That gave the waffles a crispy texture like fried kothimbir vadi. For the aromatics, ginger-garlic paste, sesame seeds, smoky cumin and coriander seed powders all make it an unforgettable snack! Plus I skipped a few steps like steam, cool, cut and then fry. All the taste without the hassle and the extra time makes this a winner in my book!
Ready to enjoy it?
Combine the ingredients for the batter
The batter
Lightly spray the waffle iron with cooking spray. I used olive oil spray from my Misto spray bottle. Preheat the waffle iron. Pour 2/3 cup batter (quantity will depend on your waffle iron) in the waffle waffle iron. Close the lid and let it cook until the waffle is golden brown on the outside, and cooked and fluffy inside, about 4 minutes.
A quick peek after 3 minutes
That is it folks! Your kothimbir vadi waffle is ready in 4 minutes cooking time. Repeat with the rest of the batter.
Kothimbir Vadi Waffle
- Author: Sandhya Rege Nadkarni@Indfused
- Servings: 2
- Difficulty: easy
Ingredients-
- 1 cup besan or chick pea flour
- 5 teaspoons idli rawa or cream of parboiled rice
- 1 teaspoon roasted coriander seed powder
- ½ teaspoon roasted cumin seed powder
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder ( or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- Salt to taste
- 1 cup chopped coriander/ cilantro leaves
- ½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 clove of garlic, grated
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ¾ ~1 cup water
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- Oil spray for greasing the waffle iron
To make the Kothimbir Vadi Waffle-
- In a bowl, mix the dry ingredients –besan, idli rawa, coriander and cumin seed powders, sesame seeds, turmeric and chili powders, brown sugar and salt.
- Combine well and add the chopped coriander leaves, grated ginger and garlic and the oil. Stir in the water gradually to make a batter the consistency of pancake or uttapam.
- Preheat the waffle iron. Spray with oil and put in 2/3 cup batter for a Belgian waffle iron. Let it cook for about 4 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp on the outside and cooked and fluffy on the inside.
- Serve with green chutney, if desired.
Sandhya Rege Nadkarni
Nadkarni is a food—in fact, fusion food—aficionado. She writes a blog, featuring Indian and Indian fusion recipes that are delicious, easy to follow and creative. She will be writing exactly the same for our readers. She is the creator and publisher of Indfused (http://indfused.com ) an award winning blog dedicated to Indian and innovative Indian fusion recipes. An architect by education, her other creative talents and interests include interior design, kitchen design, arts and crafts, jewelry making and fashion design.
A passionate cook and foodie, her healthy recipes also reflect her extensive interest in nutrition and Ayurveda. Her love for design and color coordination has found its way to food presentation too. She also teaches an array of cooking classes. When not blogging, she is actively involved in the community. She is a Director at the Shishu Bharati School of Indian languages and Culture where she has been volunteering for over two decades.
