To prepare Baked Masala Dal Vada recipe, soak chana dal and urad dal  for 3 -4 hours.

Keep some 2 tablespoon separately and grind the dals separately in a mixer by straining any excess water. Grind it to a coarse mixture and take it out. 

Mix the ground dal along with onion, mint, coriander, curry leaves, fennel seeds, salt and hing. 

Adjust the seasonings and mix the dals that you had kept separately to make the batter a bit thick such that it holds together while shaping.

Heat a kadai with enough oil to fry, add a drop of the batter to check if it is hot before frying. 

Take the vada mix and make them into patties with hand and carefully drop them into the oil. 

Use a skimmer to keep turning the vadas and fry them on both the sides till it is golden brown. 

Take them out and drain it over the tissue paper or a paper napkin and serve. 

Serve this Masala Dal Vada recipe with Masala Chai on a damp and rainy evening to get the best feel out of it! You can also pair it up with a creamy Paal Payasam Recipe (Rice Kheer/Pudding).