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Medu Vada | Urad Dal Vadai Recipe | in Table Top Grinder | How to shape Vada | Crispy Uzhunnu Vada Recipe | with step-by-step photos, description and video. A donut-shaped lentil fritter that is fluffy on the inside, crispy on the outside, soft and delicious. A south Indian breakfast is not finished without urad dal vada or uddina wada .

Medu vada is usually served with sambar (a lentil and vegetable soup) and coconut chutney, and is a popular street food in South India. It can also be enjoyed as a snack or appetizer. Medu vada is often included in traditional South Indian breakfast menus along with idli, dosa, and other dishes.

Make these vada fritters at home using my tested and fail-proof method. I also have a lot of troubleshooting tips and tricks to make the best medu vada at home. Once you learn to make these you will surely make them often at home.

What is medu vada?

Medu vada is a popular South Indian breakfast dish made from urad dal (black lentils). The urad dal is soaked for several hours, then ground to a paste and seasoned with spices like cumin, black pepper, and curry leaves. The mixture is shaped into a donut-like shape with a hole in the middle and deep-fried until crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

How much time to soak urad dal for vada?

To make medu vada, the urad dal (black lentils) should be soaked for at least 4 to 6 hours. This soaking time softens the lentils, making them easier to grind and resulting in a smoother batter. Some people prefer to soak the dal overnight or for up to 8 hours for best results.

After soaking, the dal should be drained and ground to a smooth paste with very little water. The batter should be thick and fluffy to achieve the best texture for the vada. Proper soaking and grinding are important steps in making good medu vada, as they directly affect the texture and taste of the final product.

How to make medu vada or urad dal vadai recipe?

Medu Vada | Urad Dal Vadai Recipe | in Table Top Grinder | How to shape Vada | Crispy Uzhunnu Vada Recipe | with step-by-step photos, description and video. To make medu vada, start by soaking urad dal in water for at least 4-6 hours or overnight. Drain the dal and grind it to a smooth and fluffy paste with very little water. Add other seasonings like cumin, black pepper, and curry leaves. Mix the batter well and heat oil in a deep frying pan. Wet your hands and take a small portion of the batter, make a hole in the center and carefully drop it in the hot oil. Fry until it turns golden brown, and repeat the process with the remaining batter. Moreover, serve hot with sambar and coconut chutney for a delicious South Indian breakfast.

In addition, I would like to highlight some of our breakfast recipes in the grid provided below.

Appam | Paalappam with Instant Batter

Broken Wheat Appam | Pancakes

Broken Wheat Kozhukattai | Kozhukatta

Broken Wheat Puttu | Steamed Cake

Medu Vada | Urad Dal Vadai Recipe

Course: SnacksCuisine: IndianDifficulty: Medium

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Soaking Time

hrs

Total time

minutes

Ingredients

1/2 cup Whole Urad Dal(1/2 cup=125ml)
1 tbsp White Rice
1 tbsp Water
3/4 tsp Salt
1/4 cup Onion (finely chopped)
1 Green Chilly (finely chopped)
3/4 tsp Ginger (finely chopped)
Curry Leaves
Coriander Leaves
1/4 tbsp Crushed Peppercorns
1/8 tsp Hing Powder

Directions

Rinse 1/2 cup urad dal and 1 tbsp white rice in water until the water runs clear. Select good quality dal.
Soak the dal in water for at least 4 to 6 hours. This helps in softening the dal.
After 4 hours, drain off the water completely and keep it aside.
Now, clean the grinder stones and the grinder well and set them ready for grinding.
Switch on the grinder & add the drained dal and rice to the grinder.
Scrape down the sides using a spatula.
When you see that the stones are running slow, it means the batter needs some water. Add 1 tbsp water & scrape off the sides. You can see that stones pick up speed. Now cover & grind for another 5 minutes.
After 5 minutes time, you can see that the stones are again slowed down. At this time, instead of water, add 3/4 tsp salt. The stones will pick up the speed, Scrape off the sides & cover.
Grind for another 15 minutes, until fluffy & desired consistency.
Desired consistency means when you take some batter in a spoon or hand & turn the spatula upside down, the batter will not fall like the perfect whipped cream consistency.
Transfer the batter to a bowl, followed by 1/4 cup Onion (finely chopped), 1 Green Chilly (finely chopped),3/4 tsp Ginger (finely chopped), some Curry Leaves, some Coriander Leaves, 1/4 tbsp Crushed Peppercorns and 1/8 tsp Hing Powder.
Check for salt once gain & mix well using a fork for 2 minutes.
Take some batter & check once again for consistency. Aerated well. Now ready to shape & fry them.
Heat enough oil in a kadai on medium heat till hot enough.
Take a bowl of water nearby the batter, and wet your both palms every time you take some batter. Water should not drip.
Take a small amount of batter & slightly roll for a round shape. Transfer to another palm. Dip your index finger again in water & make a hole in the center.
Gently slide them into the hot oil one by one. Do not overcrowd the pan. Work in batches, considering the size of your pan as your guide.
When one side of vada is slightly golden and the batter has firmed up and looks crispy, then gently turn it over with a slotted spoon and continue to fry.
Continue to fry the vada, turning it over as needed. Fry the medhu vadai till crisp and golden.
Once the medhu vadai is crisp and golden, then remove it with a slotted spoon to drain the extra oil. Fry the rest of vadai in the same manner.
Serve Medu Vada or Garelu or Uzhunnu Vada hot or warm with sambar and coconut chutney. Enjoy!

Recipe Video

Notes

If you are making these for kids, you can consider adding extra veggies like grated carrots, shredded cabbage, or grated beetroot to sneak in a little extra nutrition.
Don’t soak the urad dal for more than 6 hours as this will result in a thin batter that absorbs lots of oil!

How to select dal for vada?

When selecting urad dal for making medu vada, it’s important to choose good quality dal to ensure the best taste and texture. Here are some tips on how to select urad dal for vada:

Look for dal that is clean and free of stones or debris.
Choose dal that has a uniform size and color. Avoid dal that is discolored or has black spots.
Smell the dal to make sure it has a fresh, nutty aroma. If the dal smells musty or stale, it may not be fresh.
Check the packaging or buy from a trusted source to make sure the dal has not been sitting on the shelf for too long.
I recommend whole dal than split dal for vada.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know when my batter is ready? To check the consistency of your batter, you can take a small amount of your batter and drop it in a bowl of water. A light, fluffy batter will float in the water, whereas a thick batter will not. We want our batter to float.
What if my batter is too runny? If your batter has become too thin, add 1-2 tablespoon of rice flour and beat the batter again to aerate it.
Why are my vadas greasy? There are two reasons why your vadas are too greasy – the batter is too thin, or your oil is not hot enough. If your oil is not hot enough, the vadas can absorb a lot of oil. Make sure to test your oil temperature before frying. Do this by adding a small drop of the vada in the oil – it should rise to the top, without browning.
Don’t soak the urad dal for more than 6 hours as this will result in a thin batter that absorbs lots of oil!
Why are the vadas hard and not soft and fluffy? The trick is to soak your lentils for the perfect amount of time – 6 hours – for the ultimate light and fluffy batter. Over-soaked lentils = greasy vadas. Under-soaked lentils = hard vadas. Also make sure you aerate the batter well!
Why are my vadas flat? If your batter is too thin, your vadas will turn out flat. Moreover, I recommend adding 1-2 tbsp of rice flour to the batter and beating well to aerate.