Indian Breakfast – Medhu Vadai
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
Description
In Nagalakshmi Viswanathan’s book, this stands as one of the best South Indian breakfasts you can get.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (240 ml) of whole, skinned, urad dal
- 2 of green chillies, chopped
- 2 tsp of whole, black pepper
- 10-12 of curry leaves, torn roughly
- 2 tsp of salt (adjust to taste)
- 1 tsp of minced ginger (optional)
- 4 cups (960 ml) of oil, to deep fry, depending on the size of your pan
Instructions
- – Soak the urad dal for at least 45 mins in enough water.
- – Grind adding water by the tsp until you have a smooth, thick batter that falls off with reluctance as you drop it off a spoon.
- – Mix the rest of the ingredients (except oil) with the batter.
- – Heat oil until smoking point
- – Shape the vadai using wet hands into a donut shape (read notes)
- – Dunk into the hot oil. Take care not to over crowd the pan and also, regulate the heat to medium-low so that the insides of the vadai get cooked and the outside crisps up.
- – Drain and set aside.
Notes
- – Some people find it easier to do shape Medu Vada with one hand: Place the batter in the middle of your palm and form the hole with thumb of the same hand.
- Or, use the index finger of the other hand to form the hole.
- Others find it easier to use greased banana leaves or cling wrap to shape the vadai and then use a spatula to dunk into the oil.
- I am a one-hand-medhu-vadai-shaper, but it did take quite a bit of practice.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Category: Breakfast
- Cuisine: South Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 vadai
- Calories: 180
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know the urad dal batter has the right consistency?
Grind the soaked urad dal, adding water by the teaspoon, until you have a smooth, thick batter that falls off a spoon only with reluctance. The recipe is specific: it should not be watery or it won’t hold its donut shape during frying.
What is the best way to shape the donut hole without it falling apart?
The notes describe three approaches: (1) one-hand method — place batter in the center of your palm and form the hole with the thumb of the same hand; (2) two-hand method — use the index finger of your other hand to push the hole through; (3) tool method — use greased banana leaves or cling wrap to shape the vadai, then use a spatula to lower it into the oil. The author uses the one-hand method, but notes it takes practice.
Why cook on medium-low heat rather than high?
The recipe instructs you to regulate the heat to medium-low so that the insides of the vadai cook through while the outside crisps up. High heat would brown the exterior before the dense urad dal batter is cooked in the center. 
