Kothimbir Vadi

The origins of kothimbir vadi

Kothimbir is the Marathi word for coriander, and a vadi is a small cake or square. This is a home snack from Maharashtra, made especially in winter when coriander is cheap and sold in big bunches. You will see it at tea time, on festive thalis and at Maharashtrian snack counters. It sits in the same family of steamed gram-flour dishes as Gujarati dhokla and khandvi, though with a strong herb flavour and a fried crust that sets it apart.

Maharashtrian homes make it in two common ways. Some cook the batter in a kadai until it thickens, set it on a plate and then cut it. This recipe uses the other method, steaming, as it is the most forgiving for a first attempt, and gives a clean, soft interior. Deep frying is also common, particularly at snack shops, but a shallow fry gets you just as much crunch with a lot less oil.

Getting the batter right

The amount of water is the single thing most likely to go wrong. Coriander releases liquid the moment salt touches it, so mix everything shortly before you steam and add water gradually. The right batter is thicker than a pakora batter and closer to a sticky dough. When you lift a spoon, it should drop in a lump rather than run off.

Chop the coriander fine, but do it with a knife. A mixer will bruise it into a paste and turn the vadi a dull khaki. The tender stems carry a lot of flavour, so use them. Only the tough lower stems need to go. A small amount of rice flour is what gives the fried crust its crispness, and the sesame adds a pleasant nuttiness.

Common faults and how to rescue them

Gummy, wet centres mean the batter was too loose or it came out of the steamer too early. Return the tin to the steamer for 5 to 7 minutes and test again with a knife. A batter that is dry and crumbling after steaming had too little water, and it can be saved in a different form: break it up and toss it in a pan with mustard seeds, a spoon of oil and a squeeze of lemon, like a coriander upma. Nobody needs to know.

Squares that fall apart in the pan were usually cut warm or moved too soon. Let the first side set for the full 3 minutes before you turn them. If they stick, the pan was not hot enough when they went in, and a non-stick or well-seasoned iron pan helps a great deal. Bitterness comes from old coriander, so buy it fresh and bright, and leave out any yellow leaves.

Swaps and lighter ways to cook it

To go lighter, skip frying altogether and temper the steamed pieces with 2 teaspoons of oil, mustard seeds and sesame, like dhokla. It also air-fries well at 190 C for about 10 minutes, turned once, brushed with a teaspoon of oil. A tablespoon of grated coconut is a good addition in the batter, as some cooks make it that way. Readers avoiding wheat should note that many hing powders are bulked out with wheat flour, so buy a brand labelled gluten-free if it matters to you.

Chutneys and tea-time plates

Green chutney is the usual partner, and a sharp tomato chutney or plain curd works too. It makes a good tea-time plate with masala chai, and it also sits well as a side on a Maharashtrian lunch plate with varan, rice and a vegetable. Small swaps like choosing a steam-and-fry snack over a batter-fried one are the kind of daily decision NNWA's healthy eating essentials course talks about.

Storing and reheating

The steamed cake, before frying, keeps for 3 days in the refrigerator or for a month in the freezer when sliced and packed with paper between layers. Fry straight from cold, adding a minute to each side. Fried pieces lose their crunch within a few hours. To bring them back, heat them in a dry pan or an air fryer for 3 or 4 minutes, and avoid the microwave, which softens them.