Mendu Vada - Lentil Fritters

Mendu Vada are "Crispy Golden Lental Fritters" reads the box it came in. We purchased them frozen - $1.99 for a box of 6. On the package they look like deep fat fried cake donuts...don't be deceived!

The fritters are a savory dish. Ingredients are: urad dal, water, coconut, green chili, salt, coriander leaves, curry leaves, spices, coriander seeds.

Urad dal is a lentil like bean.

A serving size of just two of these fritters will set you back 204 calories - half of them in fat!

I did like the fritters - they were better after adding some salt. I think if you dipped them in ketchup - it would almost be like you were eating fat onion rings (minus the onions).

They were quite hot spicy.

Dd said "Not bad - like a spicy egg roll...very, very, very spicy."

Ds said "I don't know what to say about it - it just tastes weird." He said he had 3 BIG bites...I'd say probably three little nibbles. I try to tell them they won't get a proper taste unless it's a big bite. But I understand how apprehensive they are - b/c I feel that way too!