Add chana dal to a medium sized bowl and rinse well a few times. Soak for 1 to 1½ hour. Drain completely.

Cut cabbage to quarters and remove the core. Dip them in slightly hot water and leave it for 5 mins. Drain and rinse well in fresh water in a pot. Drain completely and shred the cabbage and chop to very small size bits.

Add the cabbage to a mixing bowl along with coriander leaves, salt, green chili, ginger, curry leaves and ¼ cup soaked chana dal. Keep this aside.

Pulse the remaining chana dal in a grinder or a food processor to a coarse mixture without adding any water. Check the picture in the post for texture.

Add this to the cabbage & other other ingredients. Also add garam masala and red chili powder. Mix this well and set aside for 10 minutes optionally. This draws out the moisture from the cabbage.

Add 2 tbsp rice flour and mix. Take small portion (about 2 to 3 tbsps) of this mixture and check if it binds well.

If the mixture looks too loose to bind, add more flour and mix. Taste test and adjust salt and spices as required.

Heat oil in a deep pan for deep frying. Test if the oil is hot enough by dropping a small portion of the dough. If the oil is hot enough the dough will sizzle and come up. It should be medium hot and not brown the dough instantly. This is the right temperature.

Divide the dough to 10 to 12 portions and make round balls. Grease your palm and flatten a dough ball and shape it to a patty as shown in the picture in the post.

You can make the cabbage vada on a greased foil or cling film. You can also make it directly in your palm and shape them.

Regulate the flame to medium. Gently slide 3 to 4 to the hot oil, depending on the size of your kadai. Do not disturb them for 2 mins or so until they firm up.

Later stir and fry until golden and crisp. Drain them to a cooling rack or a steel colander. Fry all the cabbage patties in batches of 2 to 3.

Serve cabbage vada with a cup of Indian tea or any chutney. This coconut chutney & mint chutney go well.

Do not make thick patties, they should be thin enough so the cabbage gets cooked well. Place them in the air fryer basket and spray oil.

Air fry for 18 mins at 180 C or 350 F. Turn them to the other side after 10 mins. For the extra crisp texture I air fry at 200 C or 390F.

We prefer to brush the cabbage patties with a bit of ghee and serve them hot.

Place them on a greased baking sheet. Place the tray in the center of the preheat oven. Bake them for 12 mins and then turn them to the other side and fry for another 8 mins. Adjust the time as needed depending on the oven.