Medu Vada is a South Indian dish. The shape of the vada resembles the children’s favorite “doughnut”. It is very versatile and does well with sambar, chutneys, and even yogurt. It is made by soaking and frying the urad dal usually but in this recipe, we are using urad dal flour to save time. It makes for a great breakfast recipe. It is enjoyed by one and all.
Medu Vada is a South Indian staple breakfast, teamed with flavourful sambhars and chutneys. The word "Medu" comes from Tamil "soft" and “Vada” is the usual deep-fried "fritter". The origins of these dumplings lie in India itself. Records show the mention of Vada-like dishes called in books that go as far as the second century. It is truly Indian in the sense that it was born right here. The highlight of Vada is its versatility. Cooking it does take some finesse. The quantity of water in the batter needs to be checked. Moreover, the shape of the Vada with the dent in the center may also be tricky to achieve. Although veterans opine that there is no such thing as a "perfect" shape. Instant Medu Vada without the hassle of soaking the dal. It is very simple to make and quick to prepare.
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups urad dal flour (husked & split black gram)
- 1-2 Green chilies, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 tbsp Coriander leaves, chopped
- 1 piece of Ginger, finely chopped
- Some Curry leaves, chopped
- ¼ cup fresh Coconut pieces, chopped
- Cumin seeds
- 5-10 Black peppercorns, crushed
- Salt to taste
- 1/4th cup rice flour
- ½ tsp Baking soda
- Oil for deep frying
- some Water if needed to grind the batter
Directions
- Chop green chillies, coriander leaves, ginger, onion and curry leaves and keep aside
- Make dough of urad dal flour in a bowl
- Add cumin seeds, pepper powder and table salt
- Now add all the chopped vegetables and mix it well by adding little water
- Once kneaded into a dough-like consistency, add rice flour and knead again
- Once the rice flour is also mixed properly by kneading, whisk this mixture with a whisker(This step is very important because the light, airy and fluffy texture is desired when making vada)
- Cover the whisked mixture and refrigerate for half an hour
- After taking the mixture out from the fridge and immediately before frying the mixture, add soda
- Now, drop a small ball of the mixture in boiling oil and check if rises to the top as desired
- For making the shape, wet your fingers and take a lemon-sized ball. Delicately, make a hole in the center and drop in the mixture(Alternatively, you can also take a greased back side of a ladle, make a depression in the center with your finger and dip the ladle in the oil in such a manner that it slips in the oil retaining the desired shape)
- Similarly, make more dumplings and deep fry them
If you are serving Vada, ensure to fry them until they become evenly browned and crisp. Serve them on tissue paper to soak any extra oil. This instant recipe with urad flour is a great alternative to control the consistency of the batter. Store this flour in your pantry and be prepared to whip up South Indian dishes at home quickly.