Medu Vada
Medu Vada is a popular South Indian deep-fried dish made from urad dal (black gram) batter. It is a traditional dish in South Indian cuisine and is often served as breakfast or as a snack.
Servings: 20 vadas
Calories: 102kcal
Equipment
- 1 Heavy Bottom Steel Pan
- 1 Slotted Spoon
- 1 Mixer Grinder
Ingredients
1 Cup = 250ml ; 1 Tablespoon = 15ml ; 1 Teaspoon = 5ml
- 1.5 Cups Urad Dal
- 1 inch Ginger washed and peeled
- Salt as per taste
- 5-6 Green Chillies chopped, adjust to taste
- half bunch (or) ⅓ cup Coriander Leaves chopped
- 1 Tablespoon Rice Flour
- Cooking Oil to deep fry
- 5-6 Tablespoons Water adjust to get right consistency
Instructions
- Wash the urad dal thoroughly and soak it in water for about 4-6 hours or overnight.1.5 Cups Urad Dal
- Drain the soaked dal and place it in a mixer jar and add ginger1 inch Ginger
- Grind it into a smooth batter using minimal water. Add a little water at a time while grinding. The batter should be thick and fluffy.5-6 Tablespoons Water
- Add chopped green chillies, rice flour, chopped coriander, and salt to the batter.Salt, 5-6 Green Chillies, half bunch (or) ⅓ cup Coriander Leaves, 1 Tablespoon Rice Flour
- Mix well and whip batter for at least 2-3 minutes with your hands to incorporate air
- Heat oil in a deep pan or kadai over medium heat.Cooking Oil
- Wet your hands with water to prevent the batter from sticking. Take a small portion of the batter in your hand, shape it into a ball, place it on your fingers and flatten it slightly with your thumb to form a round disc with a hole in the center (similar to a doughnut).
- Carefully slide the shaped vada into the hot oil.
- Repeat the process of shaping vadas and slide them in oil. Make sure to fry them in batches and avoid overcrowding the pan.
- Fry until it turns golden brown on both sides. Flip them carefully
- Once the vadas are golden brown and crisp, remove them from the oil and place them on kitchen towel to drain excess oil.
Notes
- Soaking Urad Dal: Soak urad dal for at least 4-6 hours or overnight. This ensures that the dal is well-hydrated, making it easier to grind into a smooth batter.
- Grinding Batter: Grind the soaked urad dal with minimal water to achieve a thick and fluffy batter. The batter becomes runny with too much water and it will be difficult to shape vadas. Add water gradually and a little at a time while grinding the batter.
- Consistency of Batter: The medu vada batter should be smooth, light, and airy. To test the consistency, drop a small amount of batter into a bowl of water; it should float.
- Aeration of Batter: To make the vadas fluffy, incorporate air into the batter by whipping it for a couple of minutes before shaping the vadas. Ensure to whip in the same direction.
- Quantity: Number of vadas you get from the above mentioned measurements depends on the size of vadas you make.
- Shaping Vadas: Wet your hands with water before shaping each vada. This prevents the batter from sticking to your hands and helps shape medu vada smooth and round.
- Oil Temperature: Maintain a consistent oil temperature. The oil should be hot but not smoking. If the oil is too hot, the vadas may brown quickly on the outside while remaining undercooked inside.
- Deep Frying: Gently slide the shaped vadas into the hot oil. Do not overcrowd the pan, as it can lower the oil temperature and result in oily vadas. Fry them in batches.
- Draining Excess Oil: Once the vadas are golden brown, remove them from the oil and place them on paper towels to absorb excess oil.
Nutrition
Calories: 102kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 39mg | Potassium: 2mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 0.4g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg
