Medhu vadai - Urad dal Vada

Urad dal vada is a very popular protein-packed south Indian breakfast/snack recipe that is tasty and also has nutritional value. Though the perfect vada with the hole in the middle needs a little experience, it is fun to make nice crispy vadas.

 

Ingredients required:

whole urad dal (without skin) – 1 cup
pepper few (crushed roughly or as whole)
green chilies -2
curry leaves few 
Raw rice -1 / 2 tsp
channa dal- 1/2 tsp (Bengal gram dal )(optional).
Salt - As per taste
Plastic sheet or banana leaf for making vadas.
Oil for deep frying.

Preparation:

soak Urad dal together with 1/2 tsp rice and 1/2 tsp channa dal for half an hour.

Drain the water and grind it to a smooth and soft batter without adding water or sprinkling very little water. It is better to use the wet grinder for grinding. 

Your batter is now prepared. (tip to check if your batter is ready, wet your hands, take a little ball of smooth batter and put it in a little cup with water if the ball floats then the batter is ready).

Add salt, pepper, green chilies (optional), curry leaves and mix well.


heat oil in a deep bottomed Kadai. When the oil is hot, lower the flame to medium. Now take a bowl of water, wet your fingers and take a lemon sized vada batter, flatten it on a plastic sheet or small piece of banana leaf . Make a hole in the middle. and slowly take the vada and gently slide it into the oil without hurting your hands.
gently cook the vada on both sides until it is golden brown and remove it and drain it.
yummy crispy Medu vada is ready to be served with coconut chutney or sambar that serves as the best side-dish.