MEDHU VADAI OR ULUNDHU VADAI (Savory Indian doughnut)
The Savory Indian doughnut is what my non-Indian friends call our Medhu vadai in Singapore and I tell you they love it to the last bite.
Nothing can beat the crunch of the outside to the softness & puffiness of the inside. It’s bland but when it combines with sambhar or coconut chutney or yogurt, it turns into something else.
I have been trying to make the perfect Medhu vadais since the year 2001 when I got married and moved to Singapore but always ended up making mysore bondas (dropping the medhu vada batter into round balls instead). The taste is the same but the look is different. I wanted it to look like the ones we buy in the hotel. Until one day my friend Vidya who hails from Trichy got me some perfectly shaped doughnut like vadas, crispy on the outside and soft and well cooked on the inside. I asked her for the recipe and she told me that it is difficult to grind in the Blender (mixie) and she usually grinds for the vada batter in the wet grinder. She also told me that you should add water along the way an Urad / Udad dal should be ground into fine bouncy paste. Once I bought my little Premier Wet grinder, I decided to attempt Medhu Vadais with Vidya’s recipe. Now mind you Vidya’s mother is a fabulous cook and a perfectionist. Her mother had given her a tip of adding toor dal while soaking the Urad / Udad dal. This not only makes the vada crispy but also keeps the batter be bound together and makes it easy to make the doughnuts with the batter.
Medhu Vada |
Ingredients
Skinless Black gram / Urad Dal – 2 cups
Yellow split Pea / Toor dal - 2 tablespoons
Green Chillies – 4-6 nos
Ginger – ½ inch (optional)
Onion – 1(optional)
Salt – 3/4 tsp
Asafetida (Hing or perungayam) - ½ tsp
Curry leaves – A sprig
Oil- for frying
Method
Soak the Urad dal and toor dal in water for 2-3 hours. Grind the soaked urad dal along with chillies, ginger and salt into a fine paste i.e. when you take the batter in your fingers you should not feel the grains. While grinding like I mentioned before kindly add water slowly, you can sprinkle water. Ensure that the batter doesn’t become watery. The batter should be thick and not like the dosa batter which flows down when dropped from a spoon.
Heat oil in a kadai. Dip your hands in water. Take the batter of the size of a small ball in your palm or a plantain leaf or a polythene sheet and pat it to form a circle. Dip your index finger in water and make a hole in the patted batter in the center. I prefer to do it on my palm as it is easy to maneuver the batter.
Fry the vadas in oil till golden brown on both sides.
Medhu Vadai |
Different Types of Vadai
Coriander Leaves and Curry Leaves - You can add curry leaves and finely chopped coriander to the batter.
Spinach Vadai (Keerai Vadai)
You can add any green leafy vegetables like Palak keerai, Arai Keerai, Mullai Keerai, Murunga Elai(drumstick leaves),
Onion Vadai
You can add finely chopped onions,
Cabbage Vadai
You can add finely chopped cabbage,
Potato Ulundhu Vadai
You can add grated potato into the batter
You can use all or any of the permutation and combinations and still have a wholesome and nutritious snack which is very delectable.
RASAM VADA
Soak the vada in Rasam.
Soak the vada atleast for half an hour before serving. Only then the rasam will penetrate into the vada and will taste good.
While serving the Rasam vadai just garnish it with finely chopped coriander and then serve.
SAMBHAR VADA
Soak the vada in Sambhar.
The sambhar should not be very thick. Soak the vada atleast for half an hour before serving. Only then the sambhar will penetrate into the vada and will taste good.
While serving the Sambhar vadai just garnish it with finely chopped coriander and then serve.
DAHI VADA
Soak the vada in Dahi.
Kindly click on the link to follow the recipe. In my recipe replace the moong vada with the Urad vada and follow the method as per the link.
Tips
I have already given you the tip of adding Toor dal alongwith urad dal while soaking.
Here are some more tips :-
- You can add a pinch of baking soda just before making the vada, this makes the vada
crisp
- Add a boiled and mashed potato to the batter and mix it well. By adding boiled potato
the vada will remain crisp and puffy for a long time
- If the batter is watery it will not freely drop into the oil. It will break half way through
the journey from your hand to the oil. If it is like that don’t worry. Add some Rice
flour to the vada batter.
- To check if the Vada is cooked fully wash the tip
of a knife and pierce the vada. If no batter sticks on the knife then the vada is fully
cooked or else it needs more cooking.
Neivedyam to the lord. |
வடை பண்ணும் நுணுக்கங்களை சொல்லி கொடுத்ததற்கு நன்றி.
ReplyDeleteI didn't visit your blog for long.
Your blog looks great as ever and the pictures are excellent.
Looks super perfect and tempting.. simply inviting :)
ReplyDeleteIndian Cuisine
Looks perfect ...nice tip of adding toor dal
ReplyDeleteNice tips to make vada and its different varieties :)
ReplyDeleteThey look crispy and perfect
ReplyDeleteCrispy & perfect vadai. You have a great space, do drop in whenever time permits www.sensibleveg.com
ReplyDeletelooks so tempting and perfect..
ReplyDelete