Medu Vada
Crisp-shelled, fluffy-centred South Indian doughnut fritters made from ground urad dal, black pepper and curry leaves. A satisfying breakfast to dunk in chutney and sambar.
Ingredients
Equipment: Blender or wet grinder, deep kadhai or heavy pan, slotted spoon, deep-fry thermometer (optional), small bowl of water for wetting hands
Method
Rinse the urad dal in several changes of water, then cover with plenty of fresh water and soak for 4 hours. The grains should feel soft and break easily when pressed between your fingers.
Drain the dal very well and shake off as much water as you can. Chill the dal in the fridge for 10 minutes while you prepare the flavourings, as cold dal grinds into a lighter batter.
Grind the dal in a blender or wet grinder in two batches, adding the ice-cold water 1 tablespoon at a time. Scrape down the sides often and stop when the batter is thick, smooth and fluffy, about 5 to 8 minutes in total.
Test the batter by dropping a small spoonful into a bowl of water. If it floats, it is ready. If it sinks, whisk it hard with your hand for 1 to 2 minutes and test again.
Scrape the batter into a large bowl. Fold in the salt, crushed pepper, curry leaves, chillies, ginger, coconut and asafoetida. If the batter is too loose to hold a shape, fold in the rice flour.
Heat the oil in a deep kadhai over medium heat to about 175°C. A small drop of batter should sink briefly, then rise and sizzle steadily within a few seconds.
Wet your palm and fingers with water. Scoop about 3 tablespoons of batter onto your palm, flatten it slightly into a thick round, and press a hole through the centre with your wet thumb.
Slide the vada gently into the hot oil. Fry 3 or 4 at a time, without crowding, turning them occasionally for 4 to 5 minutes, until deep golden and crisp all over.
Lift the vadas out with a slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack or kitchen paper. Let the oil come back to 175°C between batches, then serve hot.
Cooking tips
- Use ice-cold water and add it sparingly. Too much water makes a batter that soaks up oil and will not hold its shape.
- Grinding gives the batter its airy texture, so keep going until it looks pale and fluffy, but stop if the blender motor gets hot, as warm batter turns dense.
- Keep oil at 175°C. If it is too cool, the vadas turn greasy; if too hot, they brown outside while the centre stays raw.
- Break one open from the first batch to check the middle is dry and fluffy, then adjust the heat if needed.
Substitutions
- Split skinless urad dal can be replaced with skinless split mung dal for a softer, less fluffy vada, though the classic texture will change.
- Replace fresh coconut with a spoonful of finely chopped onion for a different crunch.
- If you have no fresh curry leaves, use a small handful of chopped fresh coriander instead.
- Use any neutral oil such as sunflower or canola for frying.
Serve with
"Serve hot, three per person, with coconut chutney and a bowl of sambar. Vadas can also be dropped into warm sambar or beaten yoghurt for a softer, juicier dish."
Storage
Keep cooled vadas in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. The raw batter keeps in the fridge for up to 1 day, but the vadas are lightest when fried soon after grinding.
Reheating
Crisp vadas in a 190°C oven or air fryer for 6 to 8 minutes until hot through. For a soft version, soak them briefly in hot sambar.
Nutrition per serving, estimated
Not shown for this recipe because it can’t be estimated reliably (for example, oil absorbed during deep frying varies a lot).
You might also cook
IndianChana Masala
Chickpeas in a dark, tangy onion-tomato masala with amchur and garam masala. Pantry cooking at its best.
IndianAppam
Soft, bowl-shaped rice and coconut pancakes from Kerala, with a fluffy white centre and crisp lacy edges. Start the batter the day before for a gentle sweet-sour flavour.
Bhature
Soft, puffed, golden fried breads made with a yogurt dough that rests until light and slightly tangy. Serve them hot with chole for a weekend breakfast.
Sambar
A tangy, gently spiced South Indian lentil and vegetable stew finished with a sizzling mustard and curry leaf tempering. Serve it with rice, idli or dosa for an easy everyday lunch.
Indian kitchen
IndianMisal Pav
A Maharashtrian-style breakfast of tender sprouted beans in a spicy coconut and onion gravy, topped with crunchy farsan and served with buttered, toasted pav. Filling, bold and easy to build in layers.
IndianSabudana Khichdi
Soft, separate pearls of tapioca tossed with crunchy peanuts, potato, cumin and green chilli. A light, gluten-free breakfast that comes together quickly once the sabudana is soaked.
Soft Steamed Idli
Light, fluffy steamed rice and lentil cakes from South India, made with a naturally fermented batter. Serve them hot with coconut chutney and sambar for an easy, filling breakfast.
Rava Dosa
Thin, lacy, crisp semolina crepes flavoured with cumin, pepper and curry leaves. No fermenting is needed, so you can go from pantry to plate in under an hour.