Medu Vada

Medu Vada is the most popular traditional South Indian dish. It is a crispy Urad Dal Fritter resembling a dough nut. It is always an accompaniment with Idli in the restaurants. It is served with Chutney or Sambar. It is also served by immersing it in Sambar.

Ingredients:

To Grind:

Urad Dal (Ulutham Paruppu) – ¾ cup

Green Chilli – 2

Ginger – 1 inch long piece

Other Ingredients:

Onion – 1 (finely chopped)

Green Chilli – 2 (finely chopped)

Finely chopped Coriander Leaves – 2 tbsp

Curry Leaves from 1 twig (Finely chopped)

Asafoetida – 1/8 tsp

Hot Oil – 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

Whole Pepper Corns – 10 to 15

Rice Flour – 1 tbsp

Oil for deep frying

Method

Wash and soak the Urad Dal in water for 2 hours at least. (Keep it in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to get better results if you are planning to grind in a mixer instead of a wet grinder.

Grind Urad Dal, Ginger and Green Chilies together with a very little water till the batter becomes smooth and fluffy. It should attain a buttery texture. Grind it in two portions.

Transfer the batter to a mixing bowl.

Add all the ingredients under the “Other Ingredients” table to this batter except the Oil to fry. Mix well.

Add Hot Oil and mix well.

Heat sufficient quantity of the Oil (enough for deep frying) in a pan. Wet your hands, take a small portion of batter and make a ball. Flatten it with both the hands. Make a hole in the middle using the thumb or any finger.

Slide this dough nut shaped batter to the Oil carefully without splashing the Oil.

You can drop as many Vadas as possible depending on the capacity of the Pan.

Fry on medium flame till the bottom of the Vada becomes golden brown. Flip the Vadas one by one and fry the other side also to golden brown.

Remove and spread on tissue paper so that excess Oil is sucked out by the tissue.

Serve hot with chutney and/or sambar.

Notes:

1. Use whole white Urad Dal for making this Vada.
2. If you are grinding the Urad Dal in wet grinder, add the Dal little by little when the grinder is running, not in one go.
3. If you are grinding in grinder, you will get more volume of the batter.
4. Ginger and Green Chillies must be chopped very finely before grinding.
5. The Oil must be very hot when the round shaped batters are slid into it. Then , reduce the flame to middle and fry the Vadas in medium flame.