• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Ministry of Curry logo

  • SHOP
    • The Essential Indian Instant Pot Cookbook
    • Amazon Store
    • eBooks
    • Cooking Classes
    • Meal Plans
  • RESOURCES
    • Instant Pot 101
    • Air Fryer 101
    • Indian Cooking Tools
    • Cooking 101
    • Essential Indian Spices
    • Guide to Beans and Lentils
    • Holiday Shopping Guide
  • RECIPES
    • Recipe Index
    • Air Fryer Recipes
    • Instant Pot Recipes
    • Oven Recipes
    • Stove Top Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Desserts
    • Dinner
    • Salad
    • Snacks
    • Drinks
    • Dairy Free
    • Gluten Free
    • Low Carb
    • Vegan
  • ABOUT
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • Shop
  • Resources
  • Cooking Classes
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Appetizers

    Kothimbir vadi{Cilantro croquettes}

    Published: Jul 21, 2016 · Modified: May 24, 2021 by Archana · This post may contain affiliate links · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases · 35 Comments

    31 shares

    A family recipe for fresh cilantro croquettes: finely chop cilantro, mix with flour and spices, steam, then pan fry to crispy perfection! These super delicious kothimbir vadi or cilantro croquettes are quentissential to typical Mumbai food experience.

    My mother-in-law, who visits us frequently, is from Mumbai. For years, during each visit she makes these delicious kothimbir vadi for us to enjoy. This year I thought it would be great for me to learn her secret recipe. She was super excited to make them with me.

    mother-in-law sitting outside at table

    We started with buying the freshest cilantro bunches. Then gathered all healthy ingredients: gram flour, rice flour, red chili powder, turmeric, sesame seeds and  fennel seeds.

    ingredients for cilantro croquettes

    She cut off and discarded the bottom one inch of the cilantro bunches, washed them a few times to get rid of any sand in them. After getting rid of the excess water she chopped the cilantro finely.

    chopped cilantro on cutting board with knife

    Next we mixed all the other ingredients and added some salt to taste.

    ingredients mixed with cilantro

    Adding a little water at a time, she then formed a soft dough.

    dough for cilantro croquettes

    After applying a few drops of oil to her hands she pressed the dough carefully into 3 pretty croquettes 2 inches wide and long enough to fit the pot.

    cilantro croquettes dough held in mother-in-law hands

    She carefully placed them in a well oiled steamer pot rack. The dough is very soft so it needs to be handled carefully.

    three cilantro croquettes dough in steamer pot

    On medium heat, the croquettes were steamed until a wooden sewer inserted in the center, came out clean. At this point the kitchen was filled with the delicious aroma of the dish. I could hardly wait to try them! We could have just stopped here and ate them just steamed but I wanted to learn her complete recipe so we continued. We allowed to let them cool for 10 mins and then cut them into circular discs.

    Cilantro croquettes

    We put a griddle on medium heat, spread a little bit of oil on it and then lined up all the cut discs on it. Sprinkled some more sesame seeds and then cooked them until both sides were crispy and golden brown.

    Cilantro croquettes

    At this time, some of the croquettes started disappearing but I luckily she made enough for the rest of the family.

    Cilantro croquettes

    Recipe:

    Prep time: 15 mins  Cooking time:20 mins    Total time: 35 mins

    Ingredients:

    6-8 cups loosely packed cilantro
    1 - ½ cup gram flour (besan)
    ½ cup rice flour
    1 tablespoon red chili powder
    ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
    2 tablespoon sesame seeds
    ½ tablespoon fennel seeds
    2 tablespoon cooking oil
    salt to taste

    Directions:

    1. Cut bottom one inch of the cilantro bunches and discard. Wash remaining cilantro few times to get rid of any sand in it. Pat dry with paper towels to remove excess water. Chop it finely and put it in a big mixing bowl.
    2. Add half of the sesame seeds and all other ingredients(except cooking oil) to the cilantro and mix well. With a little bit water at a time make soft dough. Apply a few drops of oil to the hands and  mould the dough carefully into 3 croquettes 2 inches wide and long enough to fit the pot. Carefully place them in a well oiled steamer steam pot rack.
    3. On medium heat, steam the croquettes for 20 minutes. Turn the heat off and allow them cool for 10 mins. Cut them into circular discs.
    4. Put a griddle on medium heat, put a little bit of oil and then line up all the cut discs on the pan. Sprinkle some more sesame seeds and then cook them until both sides are crispy and golden brown. Serve hot.

    Enjoy!

    Author: Archana

    Hey there! I am a techie turned recipe developer, cooking instructor, and food blogger. I love food and enjoy developing easy and healthy recipes for busy lifestyles. I live in New Jersey with my husband and two sons.
    Twitter Facebook Linkedin
    « Chicken Curry Puffs
    Healthy No Fry Dahi Vada | Dahi Bhalle »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. kavitaparvathi says

      July 21, 2016 at 10:12 am

      Yum yum

      Mine in drafts coming soon.. Yours look awesome n tempting..

      Reply
      • Archana says

        July 21, 2016 at 5:02 pm

        Thank you kavita! I will look forward to your version of this recipe

        Reply
    2. healthyindiankitchen says

      July 21, 2016 at 10:28 am

      Excellent recipe by your mom-in-law Archana! These vadis look lovely, moist and delicious. I will give it a try. I am sure my family is going to love them 🙂

      Reply
      • Archana says

        July 21, 2016 at 5:58 pm

        Thank you Mona! Please let me know how you like them.

        Reply
    3. payel says

      July 21, 2016 at 11:44 am

      They look super delicious, I was brought up in Kolkata ,we never knew any recipes like that,this is very heathy way to eat snacks! Thanks for sharing your beautiful family recipe!I will definitely try this .

      Reply
      • Archana says

        July 21, 2016 at 5:59 pm

        Thank you Payel! You can use up a ton of cilantro in this recipe. I am sure you will love it.

        Reply
        • payel says

          July 21, 2016 at 6:22 pm

          I love cilantro,I use it in almost everything..Sure I will.Thank you Archana!

          Reply
          • Archana says

            July 22, 2016 at 3:44 pm

            Me too!

            Reply
    4. Sumith Babu says

      July 21, 2016 at 5:57 pm

      These cilantro croquettes looks amazing!! Would like to try this:))

      Reply
      • Archana says

        July 21, 2016 at 6:00 pm

        Thank you Sumith! Please let me know how you like them.

        Reply
    5. Deepak Singh says

      July 22, 2016 at 1:27 am

      So much of love involved in the process, what would have been the results, I wonder! Thanks for the visit and follow.

      Reply
      • Archana says

        July 22, 2016 at 2:32 am

        Thank you Deepak!

        Reply
    6. srividhya says

      July 22, 2016 at 11:47 am

      Love this Archana.. Its still in my todo list. I need to give it a try.

      Reply
      • Archana says

        July 22, 2016 at 3:40 pm

        Thank you Srividya! Let me know how you like them!

        Reply
    7. Sandhya says

      July 24, 2016 at 8:48 am

      Archana, kothimbir wadi is a favorite of mine too. Great step by step pics!

      Reply
    8. Nandini says

      July 25, 2016 at 8:23 pm

      Lovely recipe Archana. I am sure MIL had her special touch 🙂

      Reply
      • Archana says

        July 26, 2016 at 9:14 am

        She sure did Nandini, thank you!!

        Reply
    9. Monika says

      July 27, 2016 at 2:32 pm

      Love it!!

      Reply
      • Archana says

        July 27, 2016 at 2:35 pm

        Thank you Monika!!

        Reply
    10. Rhythm says

      August 01, 2016 at 9:23 pm

      I just love eating this ?

      Reply
      • Archana says

        August 01, 2016 at 9:26 pm

        Thank you! They are lip smacking.

        Reply
    11. Cooking For The Time Challenged says

      August 11, 2016 at 12:29 am

      This sounds awesome!

      Reply
      • Archana says

        August 11, 2016 at 11:59 am

        They are petty awesome!

        Reply
        • Cooking For The Time Challenged says

          August 11, 2016 at 12:01 pm

          ?

          Reply
    12. ashu@ashstylegourmet says

      September 02, 2016 at 2:57 pm

      Hi Archana, Thanks for the like on my post. This is a yummy post and lovely recipe pictures :), I posted a similar post this evening, essentially I am used to making Kothimbir Vadi another way, now both the methods are posted.
      It is always a special touch added when a recipe is learnt from elders of the family, happy for you that you could learn it from your MIL.
      Glad to connect with you here :).
      ashu

      Reply
      • Archana says

        September 02, 2016 at 3:22 pm

        Thank you Ashu! I will love to learn your method too!

        Reply
    13. Happily Tanned says

      September 08, 2016 at 2:34 am

      Crispy and delicious! Loved the pictures. I am gonna try this one

      Reply
      • Archana says

        September 08, 2016 at 10:57 am

        Thank you! Very typical maharashtrian dish!

        Reply
    14. Medha Rajamanur says

      July 21, 2017 at 11:27 am

      Motivated only because MOC had this recipe and I tried for my party. Another very easy and great recipe that comes out very well, guests loved it.

      I only wish I had bags full of chopped cilantro ready. Any remedy for that Archana 😉

      Reply
      • Archana says

        July 24, 2017 at 10:25 pm

        Hi Medha! I am so happy that you made this traditional Maharashtrian delicacy. It always sure to impress your guests. I wish I had a easy way around using fresh chopped cilantro. Only suggestion is to make them ahead of time! They freeze well too!

        Reply
      • Meera mehta says

        August 07, 2019 at 1:49 am

        MEERA says
        August 7, 2019 at 1:45 am

        Your comment is awaiting moderation.

        U can clean, wash and chop the cilantro a day or more ahead. For that ,make sure you drain out all water and spread them on a paper or cloth till well-dried but not shrunk. This can b stored for several
        Days in a container in the fridge. U can line the container with tissue or wrap the cilantro and then put it in the container.
        It will b green as far as u have used the process with fresh leaves

        REPLY

        Reply
        • Archana says

          August 08, 2019 at 10:00 am

          Thank you Meera! I agree prepping cilantro ahead of time is a good idea.

          Reply
    15. Srini says

      January 20, 2018 at 1:08 pm

      Hi Archana,
      Great appetizer ! Have you tried steaming in Instant Pot ? Would you recommend 20 min for Instant Pot ?

      Reply
      • Archana says

        January 20, 2018 at 7:04 pm

        Hi Srini! Yes, steam for 10-15 mins in the Instant Pot

        Reply
    16. Viji says

      October 30, 2020 at 1:42 pm

      This recipe is a keeper, it is delicious and so healthy! Even my toddler loved it, will be making more often 🙂

      Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Archana: a former software engineer, now a full-time blogger. I am a mother of two boys who share my love for food and cooking. Words I love to hear are, “Mom, what’s for dinner?” The same words I say to my mom every time we speak. I live in the greater New York City Area with my husband and sons.

    Learn More About Me!

    Archana's Essential Indian Instant Pot Cookbook

    SHOP

    Popular Posts

    • Mumbai Pav Bhaji
    • Instant Pot Chicken Biryani
    • Mushroom Masala
    • Homemade Pomegranate Juice

    Footer

    AS FEATURED IN

    ↑Back to Top

    Ministry of Curry

    Shop
    About
    Privacy Policy
    Accessibility
    Contact

    Food and Recipes

    Recipe Index
    Cooking 101
    Instant Pot 101
    Cookbook

    MOC Pro

    Dashboard
    Meal Plans
    Virtual Cooking Classes
    Tips & Tricks

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Ministry of Curry

    31 shares
    • 5