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?
Yield: 14 vadas Uzhunnu Vada | Urad Dal Fritters | Medu Vada | Video Print Savory doughnuts made with urad dal makes for the perfect snack or even breakfast. Prep Time 15 minutes Cook Time 20 minutes Total Time 35 minutes Ingredients For batter: 1 1/2 cups whole urad dal (skinned black gram) 2 tbsp rice flour 1/4 cup chopped onion 1 large green chili, chopped 1" 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 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 tbsp 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. Notes - Preparation time indicated in the recipe does not include soaking time.- 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 Information Yield 14 Serving Size 1 Amount Per Serving Calories 80Total Fat 4gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 7mgSodium 235mgCarbohydrates 7gFiber 2gSugar 1gProtein 4g © Nish Kitchen Cuisine: Indian, South Indian / Category: Snacks More Kerala Snacks Parippu Vada | Masala Vada| South Indian Lentil Cakes The ultimate traditional snack perfect when it's raining outside. Serve with a cup of tea for that authentic taste. Get the Recipe Kerala Banana Fritters |Pazham Pori | Ethakka Appam The ultimate classic snack from Kerala made with bananas. Get the Recipe Sukhiyan | Battered Sweetened Green Gram | Video Green gram, jaggery and coconut mixture hidden in beautiful yellow, crispy shells. Easy to make, healthy and delicious! Get the Recipe White Coconut Chutney | Video This snow-white coconut flavored chutney, usually served as a side dish for dosa and idli, is guaranteed to impress the whole family Get the Recipe **Coconut chutney recipe here
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- Preparation time indicated in the recipe does not include soaking time.- 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
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