Uzhunnu Vada/ Medhu Vadai/ Urad dhal Vada

uzhunnu-vada

‘Uzhunnu Vada’ was my Mom’s favorite snack!  From her I started getting a liking for this crispy outside but soft inside snack.  Now it has become a comfort food for me!  So here is my version of the recipe.  You will love the flavor of peppercorns and the tiny bits of coconut while munching on it!

I am sending this snack to Priya for the event “Sunday Snacks –  Spill the Beans”

SpillTheBeans

This snack also goes to EC for the event “WYF: Fried Snack”

fried snk

Ingredients

Uzhunnu/ Urad dhal/ Skinless Black gram – 1 1/2 cups

Onions – 1 chopped

Ginger – 2″ piece chopped

Green chillies – 4 chopped

Curry leaves – 1 sprig chopped

Coconut – 1 tbsp small fine pieces

Peppercorns – 20

Water – 2 tsp (optional)

Salt – to taste

Oil – for frying

uzhunnu-vada1

Method

Soak the urad dhal in water for an hour.  Drain and grind in a mixie without adding water.  Add one or two tsps of water if needed.  Take out and add all the other ingredients and mix well.  Wet the hands, take a lime size of the batter in one hand and make a hole in the middle.  Transfer it to the other hand and drop it gently into hot oil.  Fry it on a medium flame until the Vada turns golden brown.  Repeat the process with the rest of the batter.  Serve the Vadas with coconut chutney or sambar.  You can also make ‘Curd Vada’ by adding them to chilled yoghurt.

29 Comments
  1. I love Vada too.co incidence that I have one in my draft too..I dont use onion though..looks so yummy dear.Hey,I think you can send this to one more event.Fried Snack

    event.http://simpleindianfood.blogspot.com/2009/07/wyf-fried-snack-event-announcement.html

    this is the link Dear

  2. great pics.. they look so crunchy and delicious.

  3. Thanks a lot Ann for the information! so sweet of you to help me…! 🙂

  4. Thank you Mandira! glad to see you after a long time… 🙂

  5. Perfect uzhunnu vadas! I add some grated veggies too. But sometimes I have a hard time obtaining the shape! Guess experience makes perfect 😀

  6. That’s a great idea, Pooja…I will try it next time 😀 Thanks!

  7. Love this so much really its looking so perfect .. pls pass me some I love this very much

  8. Pavithra, I will send it over with love for sure 😀 Thanks a lot!

  9. Nice stack of vadas Lissie … love this with coconut chutney or dipped in sambar … feel like having some 🙂

  10. Medu vadas are true comfort foods…the vadais in the pictures looks very crispy…I too made these vadas today with pongal 🙂

  11. Thank you Padma, for you love and support!

  12. Pongal and Vadas…lovely combo, Gita 🙂 Thanks for visiting!

  13. They look so tempting..I love it dunked in sambar.Thanks for participating and thanks Ann for suggesting the entry

  14. Thanks a lot EC! vada and sambar is a great combo 😀

  15. Wow looks soo good, reminds me i havent made these in long time..

  16. Parita, it is high time you made them… 😀 Thanks!

  17. I too recently posted the same,urs looks so fluffy! Love it!!

  18. Raks, I had commented on your vada. It was awesome! Thanks!

  19. Vada looks soooo perfect!How can?
    send me one dear….

  20. Sangi, I will send you a dozen for sure… 😀

  21. Thank you EC for choosing me for the Award!:) I am speechless…!!! Thank you once again for thinking about me!

  22. this is one of my favourite and whenever v go to anandbhavan i order this vada.urs looks perfect and mouthwatering.

  23. Thanks Praju! Anandbhavan is also my favorite place! I also like vadas from Komalas 😀

  24. I have been trying to make this vada, but i was unsuccessful. my mom says that we need a grinder to obtain the right texture to mould the vadas into rounds. Do u use a mixie or a grinder to grind the dhal!

  25. Dear Hema, I use a mixie to grind the dhal. Add water only if needed. The batter should be really thick. The shape comes by practice. Try to make small vadas so that the inside gets cooked well enough. Just follow my instructions…I hope you will be successful next time… 🙂

  26. Hi Lissie,
    Is it okay if I soak the dal overnight and then in the morning grind it and make vadas?

  27. Hi Priya,

    You can soak the dal overnight, but see that you don’t add any water while grinding. Mix it with a spoon two or three times in between. Add a tsp or so of water if needed. Try making small vadas and cook on a medium flame so that the inside is cooked well.

    Cheers,
    Lissie

  28. aha! so many yummy recipes in your blog. I love this vada too but never was able to get the round shape or the hole in the middle. Haven’t made it for long time now. Will try this out also and let you know.

    Thanks!

Archive