While we cannot deny the fact that vadas are an intrinsic part of South Indian cuisine, there have been several ways in which they have been adopted in different parts of the country. From dahi bhalle to mirchi and dal vada, there are options galore. However, the mention of the word vada in any conversation always takes us to those deep-fried crispy treats dunked in coconut chutney to be dipped in piping hot sambhar later. At least, that’s how I perceive vadas.
When it comes to eating vadas, I quietly eat what my mother serves to us on the dining table yet in my head, I’m painting a pretty picture of a crispy vada. Yes, that’s right. The taste of the vada is undoubtedly delicious yet the missing element remains its crispness. The soggy and soft vadas seem quite sad to me and I keep hoping that the next time mother makes them, they turn out my way. For the unversed, vada is a deep-fried fritter made of urad dal and rice flour.
Just like the aloo and pyaaz pakoras don’t taste the same when they are not crispy, it’s the same case with vadas too. If you’re facing an issue of the same kind, here are some tips and tricks to solve your problem.
1. Make Amends To The Batter
While the dal is the main ingredient of the batter, you can add either corn flour or rice flour to it. This makes the batter thick and adds crispiness to the vadas. If you’ve added excess water to the batter, either of them can be a savior for you.
2. Alternatives For Crispness
Ingredients like baking soda and semolina can contribute to the crispness of the vadas. Here, you need to be careful about the quantity of these additives because adding too much may interfere with the flavours of the vada itself. This is specially the case with baking soda. However, semolina is easy to work with because it doesn’t have a taste of its own so chances of making it unappetizing are lesser. The only thing to beware of is the grainy texture.
3. The Batter’s Consistency Should Be Thick
Too much water in the batter? You can’t evade soggy and soft vadas then. Water should be added slowly according to the requirement of the dal mixture and can be added later too while mixing the batter if needed.
4. Fry Deep And Keep The Flame High
Slow, inconsistent flames result in unevenly cooked vadas. In order to avoid such a situation, keep the flame high and the oil hot before dipping the doughnut-shaped circular balls into the kadhai. Also, do not fill the oil with loads of vadas in one go. Space them out and fry in smaller batches to let them cook properly.
5. Remove The Lid
Whichever bowl you store your vadas in, make sure that you don’t cover them with a lid. After transferring them to the bowl, they are still being cooked for a few seconds and placing the lid leads to accumulation of moisture on the outer layer of the vadas. This makes them soggy and soft.