Medu Vada Recipe
Crispy South Indian medu vada made from urad dal batter, perfect with sambar.
Equipment
- 1 Blender/wet grinder For batter
- Deep frying pan For oil
- Slotted spoon To flip
- Kitchen paper To drain
Ingredients
- 1 cup urad dal whole/split, skinless
- ¾ tsp salt to taste
- 3-4 tbsp ice-cold water for grinding
- 1 small onion finely chopped, optional
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 1-2 green chilies chopped
- 8-10 curry leaves chopped
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- ½ tsp crushed black pepper
- 2 tbsp coriander leaves chopped
- Pinch hing optional
- As needed oil for frying
Instructions
- Rinse and soak urad dal in water for 4-5 hours. Drain well.
- Grind dal with salt and ice-cold water to thick, fluffy batter. Whip 1-2 mins.
- Mix in onion, ginger, chilies, curry leaves, cumin, pepper, coriander, hing.
- Heat oil medium. Wet hands, shape batter into rings with hole.
- Fry 3-4 mins till golden, flipping once. Drain on paper. Serve hot.
Notes
- Batter Tips: Use whole urad dal for fluffiest results—split works too but may need extra beating. Grind with ice-cold water to prevent heating, which makes vadas dense. After grinding, whip batter by hand for 1-2 minutes until it doubles and floats in water.
- Shaping Trick: Wet your fingers lightly with water before shaping to avoid sticking. Make a small hole in the center for even cooking—don't skip it, or vadas puff unevenly. Beginners can flatten on greased plastic and slide off.
- Frying Secrets: Oil should be 350-375°F (medium)—test with a batter pinch; it should rise steadily. Fry in small batches to keep temperature steady. Drain well on paper towels for less oil.
- Make-Ahead: Batter stores in fridge overnight; flavors added fresh keep it crisp. Fried vadas reheat best in a hot oven or air fryer, not microwave.
- Customizations: Onion-free for fasting—add more pepper and cumin. For softer vadas, mix in 1 tsp poha or rice flour if batter thins.
- Serving: Best hot with sambar, coconut chutney, or filter coffee. One medu vada is about 120 calories—filling and protein-packed from urad dal.