Uzhunnu vada (Urad dal fritters or medu vada) - Whip up a batch of these savory doughnuts for a quick snack fix. Spiced urad dal are deep fried to make them super crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. To best enjoy these delicious lentil doughnuts, dip them in a bowl of coconut chutney.
The one thing that fills my heat with immense joy on a cold, wet, winter afternoon is a plate of deep fried goodies. When I say fried snacks, I think about the very traditional ones that are untouched by the modern food trends. I mean, pakora, jalebi, and these urad dal fritters or uzhunnu vada or medu vada.
These fritters are honestly one of the gems of South Indian cuisine, and you could find so many variations of these delicious snacks in different parts of the country. For me, these are my favorite savory doughnuts. The mere mention of the word 'doughnut' gets me so excited.
These urad dal fritters or uzhunnu vada have deliciousness written all over them. And at the moment, I just can't think of a better recipe to make your teatime super awesome. Urad dal loaded with spices and herbs are deep fried to perfection just for you. This is indeed perfection in every bite.
Urad dal, the hero ingredient in this uzhunnu vada recipe, is basically skinned black gram, and is quite popular in Indian cuisine. The best part is that lentils are super healthy for you, so don't hesitate to add them to your daily menu.
The trickiest part of this recipe is getting the right consistency of batter. You'll need to soak the urad dal for couple of hours so they will soften making it easier for you to grind them into a smooth paste. Again, add only very little water to make the paste. Remember, we're looking for a "paste" consistency.
We'll be also adding a few ingredients to flavor the lentil batter like curry leaves, ginger, onions, and chilies. Next up, we're going to make small doughnuts out of the paste. (Don't forget to watch the video to make the perfect uzhunnu vada). Then fry until golden in super hot oil. Once the fritters hit oil, they'll start to puff up, and evolve into that beautiful doughnut shape.
Apart from coconut chutney, these also taste great when paired with sambar (mixed lentil and vegetable curry).
Now all I need is a cup of tea.
Aren't these fritters damn delicious?
Uzhunnu Vada | Urad Dal Fritters | Medu Vada | Video
Ingredients
For batter:
- 1 and ½ cups whole urad dal skinned black gram
- 2 tablespoon rice flour
- ¼ cup chopped onion
- 1 large green chili chopped
- 1 inch fresh ginger chopped
- 1 sprig curry leaves chopped
- A pinch baking soda
- Salt to taste
- Water
To deep fry:
- Oil
Instructions
- Soak urad dal for at least two hours. Drain. Place dal in a food processor. (Grind in batches if needed). Process to a smooth paste. Add a little water if needed. Transfer batter to a large bowl.
- Add rice flour, onions, chilies, ginger, curry leaves, and baking soda. Season with salt. Mix. Cover, and leave to rest for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat oil for deep frying in a large frying pan.
- Wet your hands with a little water. Take 2 tablespoon of batter , and shape into a ball. Flatten slightly. Using the index finger of the other hand, make a hole in the middle of the vada.
- Slide vada into the hot oil. Depending on the size of the pan, you can fry 4-5 vadas at a time. Remember not to overcrowd the pan. Flip the vadas occasionally, and fry for 3-4 minutes or until they are golden on both sides. Drain onto a paper towel.
- Serve warm with coconut chutney or sambar.
Video
Notes
- Make sure all the ingredients are "finely" chopped
- Batter needs to be as thick as possible
- If the batter is too runny, add urad dal flour to thicken it
- Serve with coconut chutney or sambar
Nutrition
Like this uzhunnu vada (medu vada or urad dal fritters) recipe? Then join Nish Kitchen on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and YouTube. Also check out:
- Kerala Banana Chips
- Parippu Vada or Masala Vada
- Kerala Chicken Cutlet
- Banana Bonda
- Banana Fritters or Pazham Pori
- Kozhukkatta
- Unniyappam
- Jaggery Unniyappam
- Stuffed Bread Pakora
- Stuffed Chili Pakora
mykitchenmoments says
yum!!
N says
You forgot to mention the curry leaves in the recipe 🙂 when should they be added? Thanks.
Rose Mary George says
With rice flour. Thanks!