Ingredients 

• 1 cup moong dal
• 1 finely chopped onion (divide chopped onion into 2 parts)
• 1 1/2 large tomatoes
• 5 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 inch ginger root
• 1/4 tspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 tspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 tspoon coriander powder
• 1/2 tspoon garam masala powder
• Salt to taste
• Oil for frying

• Soak Moong dal in 1 cup water for atleast 2 hours. Then drain the water and grind it in the Mixer/grinder into a thick paste. 
• Mix 1/2 of the chopped onions and very little salt (1/2 tspoon) to the dal paste. 
• Heat oil in a Kadai or pan and make small round vadas of the paste and drop them in the heated oil. 
• Deep fry them till they are golden brown. Do not over fry. Keep them aside.

For Gravy

• Heat the oil (about 2 tablespoons) in a pan and add cumin seeds in it. Wait till they splutter and then add the other half of chopped onions in it. Saute the onions till golden brown or soft. 
• Grind Tomatoes, garlic and ginger in the mixer/grinder. Then add this paste to the golden brown onions. 
• Add salt, Turmeric powder, corriander powder, garam masala to the pan and cook for about 15 minutes. 
• Once the tomato paste and spices are cooked add 1 1/2 cup of water to it and bring it to a boil. 
• Dip the moong vada in the gravy and cook for another 5 -10 min.