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Maddur Vada is a crispy deep deep-fried street snack made by a combination of basic ingredients and simple preparation methods. The origins can be traced back to Maddur, a town in Karnataka. It is believed that the dish was invented by Shri Ramachandra Budhya on a railway platform, in 1917.
The mixture of all-purpose flour with rice flour and semolina (rava) with onions and spices yields this fried fritter. It is renowned for its crispy exterior and soft middle portion boasting robust, savoury flavour. Its ideal accompaniment is coconut chutney but you can enjoy it with coriander chutney, mint chutney, tomato ketchup, etc.
Selection Of The Right Ingredients
Semolina and rice flour are the main ingredients of Maddur Vada, and they both contribute to its texture. For a smoother dough and a crispier finish, fine rice flour is a must. Similarly, the semolina should be of premium quality. You can use chiroti or fine rava.
A good home chef always suggests using fresh ingredients like onions, curry leaves, green chillies, and coriander leaves in addition to the basics. While chopped green chillies add fiery notes, fresh curry leaves enhance aroma. The addition of appropriate spices including cumin seeds and black sesame seeds will help elevate nuttiness.
Also read: 8 South Indian Dishes That Feature Jaggery
Preparation Of The Dough
Combine all-purpose flour, semolina, and rice flour in a bowl. The base is made up of rice flour, semolina (rava), and all-purpose flour (maida), added in a proportion of 2:1:1 ratio. Mix the ingredients with green chillies, salt, curry leaves, coriander leaves, cumin seeds, and red chilli powder.
The addition of heated oil (about two teaspoons) to the mixture is crucial for crispiness. Stir all ingredients together until the mixture reaches a proper crumbly consistency. Next, add the chopped onions before stirring the mixture one last time. You should add water in small portions to ensure the consistency is right.
Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Shaping And Frying
For the ideal result, the vada must be properly shaped and fried. Grab a tiny ball-sized dough. You can use various methods to flatten it. The ball can be flattened on a clean, moist cloth or a greased ziplock cover, or on your hands. Make sure the cloth is damp, but not wet.
Heat the oil in a pan or kadhai. The flattened vadas should be carefully dropped into the hot oil. Cook them over a medium heat. Depending on the size of the kadhai, fry two to five vadas at a time to avoid cluttering and cook them until they are crispy.
Serving Tips
Once they are cooked and perfectly fried to a light brown, your Maddur vadas are ready to be served. Popular options that go well with the savoury and spicy flavours of this deep-fried snack include spicy tomato salsa, coconut chutney, and mint chutney. It is also a perfect companion with hot tea or coffee.
Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons
