Wash & soak alasandalu for 4 hours. Rinse and drain water thoroughly.

Add them to a grinder jar along with salt and ginger garlic.

Grind to a coarse paste, splashing little water only if required. Test by shaping some batter to a vada. If it does not bind or hold shape, add a few tablespoons of the batter to the grinder and make a smooth paste and mix it well with the rest.

Make sure there are no whole lentils left without getting crushed as they can burst while frying the vadas.

Transfer this batter to a mixing bowl. Add all the other ingredients - onions, coriander leaves, rice flour (optional), green chilies and cumin seeds. Mix together well. Taste test and add more salt if required.

Pour oil to a deep pan and heat it on a medium flame until hot.

Grease a cling wrap or a plastic sheet or a parchment paper. You can also grease your hands and shape them in your palms directly.

Take small portions of the batter and place them on the greased sheet or hand. Shape to balls and flatten them to thick vadas/ patties.

Test if the oil is hot by dropping a small portion of the batter to the hot oil. It should sizzle and rise to the surface without turning brown. If the batter sinks, it means the oil is not ready to fry yet. So heat it a little longer.

Gently transfer the vadas to the hot oil. Do not touch them for 3 mins, let them fry on a medium heat. Do not crowd the pan, fry only as many as your kadai and oil can accommodate.

Later turn them to the other side and fry until golden and crisp. Remove to a cooling rack. Make sure the oil is hot but not smoking hot before you add the next batch of alasanda vada.

Place the shaped vadas in the air fryer basket or rack. Air fry for 10 mins at 180 C or 350 F.

Turn them to the other side and air fry for another 6 to 7 mins. Adjust the time as needed depending on your air fryer. They will turn hard if you over fry them. Once done brush the hot air fried alasandalu vada with oil or ghee.