Medhu Vadas

Vada is a traditional savoury snack from South India known from antiquity. Vada can vary in shape and size, but are usually either doughnut- or disc-shaped and are about between 5 and 8 cm across. They are made from dal, lentil, gram flour or potato, and come in many different variations. Although they are commonly prepared at home, vadas are, as well, a typical street food in the Indian Subcontinent and Sri Lanka. They are usually a morning food, but in street stalls and in railway stations, as well as inside the Indian Railways, they are available as a snack all through the day.

The general way of preparing vada is to make a paste or dough with gram flour or mashed or diced potatoes and/or dal lentils. This mixture is subsequently seasoned by mixing with black mustard seeds, onion, curry leaves, which are sometimes previously sauteed, and salt, chilies and/or black pepper grains. Often ginger and baking soda are added to the seasoning. The individual vadas are then shaped and deep-fried. Certain types of vada are covered in a gram flour batter before frying.

Vadas are preferably eaten freshly fried, while still hot and crunchy and soft on the inside. They are usually accompanied with coconut chutney and sambhar (a spicy lentil and potato stew).

2 cups urad dal (another recipe adds 1/2 cup rice with the dal and 1 Tbsp. grated coconut with the other spices)
1/4 cup chopped onion
3 or 4  green chillies
1 sprig curry leaves
1 tbsp black pepper corns
1 inch piece ginger
salt to taste
1 pinch baking soda
oil to fry

Take urad dal in a vessel and add water to just cover the dal and keep aside to soak.

After about 30 mins. the water level would have gone down. Now add more water to cover the dal again. After 30 more minutes the dal will be well soaked and ready to be ground.

Making the Batter:  In a wet grinder, grind the dal in small portions without adding water. If the grinder is unable to grind well, sprinkle some water and grind again till you get a smooth, thick and fluffy paste.

Note: if you intend to make the vadas using a vada maker, then the batter has to be the consistency of idly batter. But if you prefer making the vadas the traditional way - using the palm of your hand - then the batter has to be as thick as possible. In case the batter has become less thick, you can add some urad flour to make the batter thicker.

To this dal batter, add chopped ginger, green chillies, onion, curry leaves, whole black pepper corns, a pinch of baking soda (to make the vadas soft) and salt and mix well. If you like the vadas to have a crispy exterior and soft interior, add 2 tbsp rice flour to the batter. Let the batter sit for 5 to 10 mins.

Heat oil (better to use fresh oil - not the oil that was previously used to fry other foods)  in a kadai or deep skillet. Let the oil get really hot - you know if it is hot enough by placing your palm at a safe distance above the pan - you can feel the hot steam from the oil. Or use a deep fryer thermometer - temp should be at least 380 deg. F.

Make donut shapes with the batter either using the palm of your hand or using a vada maker as described below.

Making donut shapes using hands: wet the palm of your hand with water and place a ball of the vada mix on it . Press it down slightly with the fingers of your other hand. Now using one finger make a hole in the middle of it. Drop it slowly and carefully into the hot oil. Wet your palm each time you make the donut shape - this prevents the batter from sticking on your hand.

Making donut shapes using vada maker (looks like a donut maker with a plunger which drops the dough into the oil): Fill the vada maker with batter. Hold it over the hot oil. Now with your thumb push down the lever/knob and the hole at the bottom of the vada maker opens to let the batter out. Keep your thumb pressed down for as long as you need - this depends on how big you want your vadas. The longer you hold the lever down, more batter comes out and vada becomes bigger. Hold the lever down for a short time to make smaller vadas.

Fry the vadas till golden brown and lay them out on a tray lined with kitchen tissue to absorb excess oil.

Serve hot with chutney (coconut chutney is popular) and/or Samber (vegetable stew or chowder based on a broth made with tamarind and toovar dal (Yellow Split Pigeon Peas)).

Makes 18 to 20 vadas