Medhu Vadai
Veg
Vegan
Light, crispy doughnuts of urad dal batter — soaked lentils ground with green chillies, ginger, and curry leaves, shaped into rings and deep-fried until golden, with a crackling exterior and a pillowy centre. The essential breakfast companion to idli and sambar across Tamil Nadu; medhu vadai soaked in sambar (sambar vadai) transforms into an entirely different and addictive texture.
Cuisines
Chettinad
Tamil Brahmin
Kongunadu
Madras
Udupi
Andhra
Best for
Breakfast
Snacks
Recipe
Prep: 20 min
Cook: 30 min
Total: 50 min
2-3 servings
Ingredients
| 1 cup | urad dal |
| 1 tablespoon | rice flour |
| 1 teaspoon | cumin seeds |
| 1 teaspoon | crushed black pepper |
| 1 tablespoon | finely chopped ginger |
| 2 tablespoons | finely chopped curry leaves |
| 2 tablespoons | finely chopped coriander leaves |
| 1 medium | onion, finely chopped |
| 2 tablespoons | water |
| — | salt to taste |
| — | oil for deep frying |
Instructions
- 1 Wash and soak the urad dal in water for about 2 hours.
- 2 Drain the water and grind the urad dal to a smooth batter, adding water gradually as needed.
- 3 Transfer the batter to a bowl and add rice flour, cumin seeds, crushed black pepper, chopped ginger, curry leaves, coriander leaves, and onion.
- 4 Mix well and add salt to taste.
- 5 Heat oil in a deep frying pan over medium heat.
- 6 Wet your hands and take a small portion of the batter.
- 7 Shape it into a ball, flatten it slightly, and make a hole in the center.
- 8 Carefully slide the shaped batter into the hot oil.
- 9 Fry until the vadai turns golden brown and crispy on both sides.
- 10 Remove the vadai from the oil and drain on paper towels.
- 11 Repeat the process with the remaining batter.
Tips
Ensure the batter is thick to get crispy vadais. Wetting your hands helps in shaping the vadai easily.