Medhu Vadai Recipe | How to make Urad Dal Vada In Grinder

Medu vada aka Urad dal vada / Ulundu vadai is a famous South indian snacks and breakfast recipe especially in Tamil nadu. We generally make medhu vadai for festivals or for guests. Last month I got a request from a reader to post crispy medhu vadai recipe using grinder. As I myself have not tried medu vada using grinder, I was hesitant to make this post. 

Usually I make medu vada only using mixie. But then I took this as an opportunity to try out vada batter using grinder & I did it. But my vada drank so much of oil but still it was light n crispy.Then I found I have added more water which made my vada absorb more oil. So I tried it confidently for the second time and got it perfect. For some recipes, I feel video would give better understanding. So I wanted to capture vada batter making.

Last week my in-laws were with us. I told my MIL to grind vada batter and I captured it. Hope the video looks good & clear. But the vadas in the pictures what you see here are made by me. If I can make a good shaped vadas, then anyone can make it easily. So do follow this recipe carefully. U will get it right. To make a perfect medu vada, there are some points to be noted while grinding the batter. I have shared them below. Do read it before watching the video or trying this recipe. Hope these points would help all the beginners. Lets see how to make crispy medu vada at home with some tips & tricks!

TIPS & TRICKS TO MAKE CRISPY VADA

• Always soak the white, round urad dal for 45 to 60 minutes maximum. If you are grinding in mixie, then you can soak it for 2-3 hours.
• When you are grinding the batter using grinder, do stand nearby. U have to spend 12-15 minutes near the grinder by sprinkling water and wiping the sides every now and then which is most important.DO NOT ADD SALT WHILE GRINDING. Add salt just before frying the vada.
• Never pour all the water in one stretch. Just add little water every 2-3 minutes by wiping the sides of grinder with a spatula. Batter should not get stuck in the sides.
• Vada batter should not be too light & airy. It should be tight to hold. If the batter is too light,vada will absorb more oil.
• Also the batter should be non-sticky when u touch it by dipping your hands in water.
• To check the right consistency of vada batter,drop a small ball of batter in a bowl of water. It will float to some extent. Also when you try to drop the batter, it should form a stiff peak ( Refer picture ).
• Keep the batter covered in refrigerator till use. Add salt & onions only before frying the vada. Beat the batter before frying to provide aeration which is very important to get crispy, light vadas. Then add onions and other spices.
• Add 1/2 tsp of toor dal for 1/2 cup of urad dal while soaking. It helps the vada to prevent oil absorption.
• U can also add 1 tsp of rice flour to get super crispy vadas like in restaurants.
• But if you grind vada batter properly, then no need to add rice flour or toor dal. Vada will come out super crispy by itself.
• To keep the vada crispy for hours,just pre heat the oven in the least temperature & place your vadas in a tray inside the oven. By this way,vada stays crispy. I got this tip from Vahchef’s site but I have not tried it personally though.

Medhu vadai recipe/Urad dal vada

South Indian breakfast special Urad dal vada aka Medhu vadai recipe with stepwise pictures & video !

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Snacks

Serves: 10

Prep time: 60 Minutes

Cook time: 15 Minutes

Total time: 75 Minutes

INGREDIENTS
1 cup - 250ml

To soak White round urad dal - 1/2 cup Toor dal - 1/2 tsp (optional ) Water - as needed To mix in the batter Small onion - 10 nos or big onion - 1  Curry leaves - few Green chillies - 1  ( finely chopped) Hing/Asafetida - 1/8 tsp Crushed pepper - 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds/Jeera - 1/2 tsp (optional) Salt - as needed Cooking oil - to deep fry Rice flour – 1 tsp, to add in the batter before making vada ( optional )

METHOD

Wash and soak the urad dal & toor dal ( if using ) in enough water for 1 hour minimum and 4 hours maximum. Keep the soaking urad dal inside the refrigerator. Drain all the water completely and use this water for grinding. Add the soaked urad dal to the grinder. Switch on & start running. Do not add water. Do not add water in the beginning. Let the grinder run for few seconds without water. When the dal starts to stuck in the sides,add little water ( say 1/8 cup ). Take a spatula and wipe all the sides and center part. Again sprinkle little water and stand nearby wiping the sides. Make sure there are no dals visible or stuck up in the sides. Repeat this by adding water & wiping sides for 12-14 minutes. Batter will become fluffy and the quantity would be more. Now remove a small portion of batter in the spatula, when you drop the batter, it should form a pointed tip. Also check the batter by dropping a small ball in a bowl of water. It should not settle down or dissolve instead it should float. Remove the batter from the grinder completely and keep in a vessel. If you are making vada immediately proceed OR store the batter in the refrigerator till use. Do not keep it outside. Before deep frying the vada,remove the batter from the refrigerator. Beat the batter well with your hands. It provides aeration and helps to give you crispy & light vada. Now add salt , finely chopped onion, hing, chillies, curry leaves, pepper corns & cumin seeds. Mix well. Heat oil in a kadai , check the temperature of oil by dropping a pinch of batter. If it rises immediately, oil is just right. Shape the vada using your palm. Make a hole in the center using the thumb finger. Drop the vada into the oil by slightly tilting your fingers. Flip both the sides and cook the vada till the bubbles ceases. Remove & drain in a tissue paper. Serve hot & Enjoy !

Enjoy this hot & crispy medu vada as breakfast or as an evening snack with coconut chutney !

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