Grind the Batter - Strain the Lentils, and add them to the blender jar. Add green chilies, ginger and little bit of water to grind a smooth batter. I used about 1/4 cup of water to grind the batter.
Aerate The Batter - Aerating the batter will help you get the softest fritters. I like to the batter with my hands but you can also use a whisk for this. Whisk the batter with your hands vigorously in a circular motion. You will notice that the batter will start getting fluffy.
Test The Batter - Take a spoonful of batter and drop it in water. If the batter is airy and light, it will float in the water. Once you achieve this consistency, it is ready for deep frying or cook them in the appam pan, as I do. Add finely chopped cilantro, salt, and yogurt, just before frying the fritters.
Cooking The Fritters - I like to cook the fritters on medium-low flame, in the appam pan. Add oil to each appam mold, and then add the batter using a medium-sized cookie scoop. Cover and cook them on medium-low heat. Once they start to brown, flip and cook on the other side.
Soak The Cooked Fritters - The cooked fritters are soaked in cold water, while vadas are still warm, for 12-15 mins. This helps the vadas to release excess oil, and fluff up in the water.