By: redchilliesPosted on

uddin_vada 011

Deep frying is becoming a rarity at our house now. Gone are those days when we would have deep fried stuff every week or so and yet managed to keep a tab on weight. OK, OK …..we were young then and we had our fair share of running and playing around and that helped to keep up balance.

But then, I do make it on some special occasions. Dear Husband celebrated his birthday few weeks ago and I generously offered him the option of choosing his favorite deep fried food. He agonized as he had a tough job of choosing just one amongst his top 5-6 favorites. But then after much pondering, lamenting he finally settled for Medu Waada (Gaarelu, Uddin Vade).

Medu Vada is a traditional South Indian recipe that is eaten for breakfast. At Bangalore restaurants, this is served along with warm idlis and accompanied with sambhar and coconut chutney. This combination is a match made in heaven and the taste is simply divine.

It took some years of practice and advice to learn to make this crispy and delicious. In restaurants, the shape of the Medu Vada is like a ring with hole in the middle (more like a doughnut), but I find it easier to handle it this way in small rounds. This is also called as Biscuit Ambode in Konkani.

Some tips, do’s and don’ts to make this crispy:

  • Do not add too much water while making the batter, lesser the better.
  • Please remember that the water should be sufficient enough for the mixie motor to run smoothly.
  • Grind for a good amount of time, until the batter becomes fluffy and you see some bubbles on the top.
  • Do not add anything like ginger, coriander leaves etc while grinding. Only salt should do it.
  • Update: Keep this urad daal batter aside for 3-4 hours and let it ferment a bit.
  • While deep frying make sure that the oil if of the right temperature.
  • Add little fine sooji (rava) to the batter and mix well before deep frying.
  • Take small amounts of batter while deep frying.

Looking for low-calorie medu vada? Check this out!

Ingredients:

  •  1 cup urad daal
  •   2-3 green chillies
  •  1 Tbsp grated ginger
  •   3-4 curry leaves
  •  10-20 small pieces of coconut(optional)
  • 1 Tbsp of fine rava (sooji)
  • 1 tsp Jeera (cumin) seeds
  • handful chopped coriander leaves
  • Salt
  • Oil

uddin_vada 003

Preparation:

·         Soak the urad daal in enough water for about 4-5 hours.

·         Cut the green chillies very finely, cut the curry leaves into pieces and grate the ginger.

·         Drain the water completely from soaked urad daal, add salt and grind it to a smooth paste. (Do not add too much water, if required add only spoonful of water at a time).

·         Grind until the batter turns fluffy and you notice faint bubbles on the top.

·         Update: Keep this urad daal batter aside for 3-4 hours and let it ferment a bit.

·         When ready to make the vadas, add green chillies, cumin seeds, curry leaves, ginger, coriander leaves and coconut pieces (if using). Mix thoroughly and check for taste. Add more salt if necessary.

·         The salt should be on the higher side as most of the saltiness goes away when deep frying.

·         Finally add the rava just before deep frying and mix well.

Method:

·         Heat oil on medium high in a thick bottomed pan sufficient enough to deep fry.

·         Check to make sure that the oil has reached the correct temperature, by putting in small amount of batter. If there is a sizzle that means the oil is ready.

·         Take about golf ball size of the batter from the tips of your hands and put it in the deep fryer. Add about 4-5 depending on the size of the pan at the same time.

  • After about 20-30 secs turn them around, making sure all sides get cooked evenly.
  • Transfer them to a plate with absorbent paper so that the extra oil drains. Continue the above process with the remaining batter.

·     This can be eaten as is or with chutney, sambhar and forms a wonderful accompaniment with tea or coffee. 

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
Categories: Appetizers / Snacks, Karnataka RecipesTags:

37 Replies to “Crispy Urad Daal Vada Medu Vada(Uddina Vade)”

  1. I usually don’t fry often, may be once or twice a month unless I am making Batura more often like last month. I tend fry more when it’s cooler on the deck and I deep fry on the BBQ gas to avoid the smell of oil all over the curtains and sofas!:D
    Arvind LOVES Uddin vade with sambhar, a regular order when we go to Woodlands and chaat for me! I still have to master the soft vade like the restaurants, although I can make vadas with holes.
    Looks good RC, love the photo. Happy belated b’day to him, bet he enjoyed his special treat!:)

  2. Oh my! I rarely deep fry but there are some treats that require it. I’m just loving this recipe.

  4. I do agree nothing like deep fried specials on special days, we had medhu vadai and payasam just a few days back. Looks great RC.

  5. looks all crispy and crunchy! 🙂
    reminded of our ‘ulundu vadais’ where it tends to be slightly bigger and with a gaping hole in the middle! 🙂

  6. yummy vadas..deep frying is rare at my place too;-)but this one looks too tempting to break that rule!!;-)looking delicious-great entry!!

  9. RC,
    long time since I came a visiting.
    Mr celebrated the bday, eh! I shd have known. Checked my calendar. It is there alright.
    I am getting old..ok?

    More later.

  11. Please stop tempting me RC! those vadas looks like waiting for me to eat. delicious, crispy snack with tea, for sure! Thanks for the yummy recipe.

  12. Dear RC,

    Long time its been since i came here…will add to my favs….lovely vades…..its raining here in maharahstra and they are something i would love to eat!

    Veda

  13. Hey RC, How r u.. Tempting us all with these crispy yummy vadas! These r great & i rarely make them. My Hubby loves them along with his idea of a perfect BF that consists of Idlis, Pongal, Vadas, SAmbar & just 3-4 chutneys.. well a glass of steaming hot filter coffee would be great too. only if i have the patience to make all this for one BF!

  18. Hi there yes its indeed a good receipe and i have tried it at home. But unfortunately the vada became so hard, difficult to break…i am really disappointed with the outcome… My husband mahesh loves vadas toooo much… everytime we go out to the restaurants his fixed order is these vadas… please clear my some doubts… after grinding the batter how much time should we keep the batter before frying? Can we add some eating soda to the batter to make it fluffy and crispy? How the colour comes so nice brown?

    Please clarify my doubts than i wil try again at home. Thank you
    bye have a nice day.

  19. Mrs.Kiran, thank you very much for trying out the recipe. I am sorry that it did not turn out well.
    Let the batter rest for about 20-30 minutes and then you can deep fry them. There is no need to add soda for this, as it comes well without it.
    Please follow the tips that are suggested in the post and hopefully that should help.

  20. Pingback: Bonda Soup

  21. Good recipe … However you need not soak urad dal for 4 – 5 hours… just 1 hour would do and ferment for 3 – 4 hours… this works with me 🙂

    Thanks Brinda for sharing and that is good to know.

  22. Useful tips – Normally vadas drink more oil while fryng, which is not good for health. To avoid this, pls soak 1 or 2 tsp of channa dhall along with urad dhall and grind together. This will reduce the absorption of oil. Also pls dont soak the urad dhall for longer time, even 30min is enough. If u leave the ground urad dhall batter for longer time b4 fryng, it will drink more oil.In tamilnad, we dont allow it to ferment, we fry immdly after grinding.

  24. Pingback: Tweets that mention Gaarelu, Uddina Vada, Medu wada, Lentil fritters | RedChillies -- Topsy.com

  25. thank you worked really well! making it for the first time i realised how much money i can save if i make em at home! thanks again!

  28. Pingback: Dal Doughnuts | Lukas Volger's Veggie Madness

  29. hi RC!!!

    I found it Very useful site,
    actually my husband was going to “Shabarimali ” so i need to prepare prasadam for 15 ppl, so decided to make IDLY VADA, But no idea how to make uddin vada, but now i tried this type, its come super, my relatives complemented me, im here to Thank uuuu.

    looking for more recipes!!!!

    best regards

    mahalakshmi

  35. ITS REALLY A VERY EASY TO PREPARE WITH DELICATE TAST, BECAUSE OF YOUR RECIPE WITH THEIR EXPLANATION…..THANKS A LOTTTTT

  36. Have you ever thought about creating an e-book or guest authoring on other blogs?
    I have a blog based upon on the same ideas you discuss and would love to have
    you share some stories/information. I know my readers would value your work.
    If you’re even remotely interested, feel free to send me an e mail.

  37. My husband & I are in USA ,visiting son & d in law. I am going to try bonda soup today. Thanks for the recipe. Best wishes

Comments are closed.