Cilantro leaves or Coriander leaves are called ‘Kothimbir’ in the Marathi language. It is savory cilantro fritters that are steamed first, sliced and then fried into oil till crisp. Traditional kothimbir vadi is deep fried. But to make it little healthy, I have shallow fried them. To make it even more healthy, the frying step can be skipped. Yes, that is right. Steamed vadis are also tasty.
Taste & Texture:
It has full of cilantro flavor. But these vadis are cooked twice, so there is not strong rawness of cilantro flavor.It is medium spicy with a little garlicky flavor.Steamed kothimbir vadi are soft and light. Once fried, they become crispy around the edges and soft from inside
There is a similar snack recipe from Gujarat, it is methi muthia. but is made from fenugreek leaves, not coriander leaves.
Preparing cilantro to make kothimbir vadi:
How to make Maharashtrian Kothimbir vadi?
Serving Suggestion:
Kothimbir vadi is served as a breakfast, evening snack or as a side crunch along with the meal.It tastes good with a side of green coriander chutney and tomato ketchup or coconut chutney.It can be served with a hot cup of chai (tea) or coffee.
Avoid dense textured kothimbir vadi using below tips:
The cilantro leaves should be dry and free of moisture. So make sure to plan ahead, wash the leaves, spread on a towel to dry completely. Or use the salad spinner if in rush.If there is moisture in the coriander leaves then besan will stick to the leaves and form a lumpy dough which results in dense vadi.Addition of rice flour is a must. If there is any little moisture present in the leaves, rice flour will absorb that and besan will not form any lumps.Do not add all the water at once. Add little by little. If you have added extra water then you might need to add more besan. And that results in dense texture.Always steam on medium flame. Not too high not too low. Otherwise it becomes hard and dense.Add a pinch of baking soda. It makes the kothimbir vadi light and soft.
Check out more Maharashtrian snack recipesSabudana vada // Shankarpali // Batata vada // Chakli
