Medu vada | Medhu Vada | Uzhunnu Vada
Medu vada | Medhu Vada | Uzhunnu Vada is a popular south Indian snack made with Urad dal, ginger, green chilies, and asafoetida/hing. You can add other ingredients like onion, curry leaves, cumin, rice powder, coconut, soda powder, etc. However, the 4 ingredients are essential.
Urad dal is the main ingredient so Urad dal should be of good quality to get the best results.
How To Prepare the Batter for Medu Vada?
Soak urad dal for 1-2 hours at room temperature and then keep it in the fridge for 1 hour. When we’re grinding it in a mixer it is important to keep it refrigerated. The mixer will have a high-speed motor that produces heat while grinding. However, in the case of a stone grinder, the process is slow. If you’re using a stone grinder it is ok to skip the refrigeration part of the soaked urad.
How To Make The Methu Vada Batter Fluffy?
Use a hand blender/whisk/stand mixer and beat the batter for 4-5 minutes. This process is to incorporate air into the batter and produces a fluffy batter. The batter will be light and fluffy after this.
Tips for making perfect Medu Vada
- When making medu vada, keep in mind that you shouldn’t refrigerate the batter or leave it out for longer than 30 minutes, otherwise the vada will absorb too much oil while being fried and won’t turn out properly.
- Use your hands or whisk or hand mixer to beat the batter and incorporate air and produce a fluffy batter.
- Do not let the mixer grinder or the batter heat up while grinding.
- If the batter becomes slightly runny you can mix 1 to 2 tbsp rice flour. Then beat again to aerate the batter
- Use as little water as possible to grind the batter.
How To Make Medu Vada?
Medu Vada | Medhu Vada
Ingredients
- 1 cup Urad dal
- 1/2 tsp Asafoetida
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tablespoon ginger finely chopped
- 2 green chilies, finely chopped
- 1 sprig curry leaves, chopped Optional
- 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped Optional
Instructions
- Rinse Urada dal about 4-5 times to remove any white residue and clean thoroughly. Soak it for 1-2 hours at room temperature and then keep it in the fridge for 1 hour. When we’re grinding it in a mixer it is important to keep it refrigerated so it doesn't get heated while grinding.
- Drain the soaked water from Urada dal and keep it aside. Add soaked Urada dal to the mixer grinder without the soaking water. We will add reserved water at about three intervals during grinding instead of adding it all at once.
Grind Soaked Urad Dal
- First, grind it for 15-20 seconds, then stir it with a spoon, scrape off the sides. Add 2 tablespoons of water to the mixer. The second time, grind it for another 15-20 seconds. Stir it again with a spoon. Add 2 tablespoons of water, and grind it again. The third time, add 2 tablespoons of water, stir with a spoon and mix all together very well. Then grind it again until it becomes a fine paste, soft and puffy.
Aerate the batter by beating
- Transfer this to a bowl. Use a hand blender/whisk/stand mixer and beat the batter for 4-5 minutes. This process is to incorporate air and produces a fluffy batter. The batter will be light and fluffy.
- Add finely chopped ginger, onion, curry leaves and green chilies. Mix all ingredients together. Do not refrigerate the batter or keep it outside for more than 30 minutes because this causes the Vada to absorb oil. It is always best to fry the vadas as soon as the batter is ready after it has been beaten.
- Heat oil in a deep heavy bottom pan over medium-high heat. Drop a small amount of batter into the hot oil to test. If the batter rises, the oil is sufficiently hot.
- To moisten your hand, dip your fingers in water or oil. Take small amounts of batter. Form into a ball and shape the batter into a vada with a hole in the center. The hole in the center allows the oil to rise from the bottom and roast the side of the vada.
- After adding Vada, flip it often and fry it for 5 to 6 minutes over medium high heat.
- Once all sides are the golden brown color you can now take it from the oil, drained/dripped down from the vada, and place it in a bowl
- Serve it with chutney or use this to make sambar vada/dahi vada.
Notes
More Snack Recipes
- How To Make Parippu Vada – Lentil Fritters
- Ulli Vada | Onion Vada
- Kerala Style Pazham Pori – Crispy Banana Fritters
- Unniyappam Recipe with wheatlets | Unniappam
Frequently Asked Questions
How to keep the Medu Vada Crispy longer?
Place a cooling rack over a baking tray and preheat your oven to keep warm (175°F) for at least 15 minutes. Then, arrange the hot fried vadas on the cooling rack. As you fry the vadas, keep them in the oven.
How to reheat Medu vada?
You can either reheat in a preheated oven at 180 C or refry them in hot oil or in air fryer.
Why is the Vada sometime uncooked inside?
If the oil is too hot, the outside will brown but the inside will not be cooked. The oil should be hot but not smoking hot.
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