No festival in Andhra is complete without making these crisp, golden and delicious Medu Vada. Medu Vada is generally made by soaking urad dal (Black Gram, Black Lentil, Telugu: Minappau) for 3-4 hours. Every house has got its own vada recipe. Some add only sliced onions to the batter, some add peppercorns, some make it plain.
The medu vada or chillu (hole) minapa garelu (as they are called in Telugu) recipe, which I am going to share with you today is one of my family favourite recipe. Vadas are regular at my house during Ramadan. I learnt to make these from my friend Lav’s mom and I have included all the tips and techniques that I have learnt from aunty in making these perfect medu vadas. But still I say, practice will make you perfect. Don’t get disappoint if the vadas don’t turn perfect in the first go. Making medu vada is not a beginner’s recipe. Before you start to make these vadas., please read the recipe and follow the instructions carefully,
How to serve Medu Vada?
- Medu Vada are always served hot. If you are serving vadas in the morning, then these are served with chutney (Peanut | Coconut | Tomato) or with Podi laced with hot ghee or with piping hot Sambar.
- If you are serving these vadas in lunch, then these are usually served with Pulihora (Tamarind Rice) or Lemon Rice. These vadas can also be relished with Spicy Chicken Curry. Do give it a try!
- If these vadas are served as evening snack with tea, then these are generally served with any pickle.
- Dahi vada and Sambar Vada are two very popular recipes which can make yummy brunch or weekend dinner. Usually these will be my iftar dinner recipes.
Medu Vada | Andhra Special Minapa Garelu
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup Urad dal | Minapa Pappu
- 1 Onion, finely chopped
- 2 Green chilies, chopped
- 2 sprigs fresh Coriander leaves, chopped
- 10-12 Curry leaves
- 1 tbsp. Ginger, chopped
- 1 tbsp. Cumin | Jeera
- Salt, as per taste
- Oil for deep frying
How to make Medu Vada Step by Step
PREPARATION:
- Thoroughly wash and soak urad dal in 4 cups of water for 3-5 hours.
- Drain the water from urad dal and grind it to smooth paste by adding 2-3 tablespoons of chilled water.
- Remove the batter into a bowl and whisk it for 2-3 minutes by adding salt.
- In the same jar, add sliced onions, chopped green chilies, cumin, chopped ginger, chopped coriander leaves and curry leaves. Grind coarsely. (Pulse for not more than 10 seconds)
- Now add the above ground mixture to urad dal batter. Mix well and set aside by covering with a lid.
- In the meantime, heat enough oil in a kadai for deep frying the vadas. When the oil turns piping hot, reduce the flame to low and start adding the vadas.
- Wet your hands with oil or water and take a lemon sized ball from the batter and flatten it on a greased plastic sheet or plantain leaf or wet cloth to form a circle, put a hole on the center with your finger.
- Slowly and carefully drop it into the hot oil. Repeat and add 3-4 vadas depending on the size of the kadai.
- Leave them in oil for 3-4 minutes. Slowly start flipping and fry on both the sides on a medium flame, till the vadas turn crisp and nice golden in color.
- Using a slotted spoon, carefully drain the excess oil and remove the vadas on to a kitchen tissue. Continue the process and complete the batter.
- Serve hot vadas with peanut chutney or ghee-podi or sambar.
- Add love to make these medu vadas taste ‘Yummy’.
Healthy South Indian Breakfast Recipes
Which Urad Dal is best for making Vadas?
- Urad dal has an earthy flavour and an unusual mucousy texture. However, round husk less urad dal (urad dal gota) is used in making medu vada.
- But in some houses vadas are made with husked round urad dal as it is more nutritious and contains high protein.
- Vadas made with round black or white urad dal taste almost the same.
- Never use split urad dal to make vadas as split urad dal is used in tempering or tadka.
How to check vada batter consistency?
- After grinding the batter, don’t forget to whisk it gently for 2-3 minutes. This will make the batter light and airy.
- Drop a small ball of batter in a bowl of water. If the batter ball floats on top, the batter is perfect to make vadas.
- And if the batter sinks to bottom, then the batter is runny or not aerated properly.
Points to remember:
- If the oil is very hot, the vadas will quickly turn brown outside, leaving the insides uncooked and if oil is less hot, vadas will absorb more oil and will remain oily upon removing from the oil.
- Consistency of the batter is the key to make perfect vadas. Try to add as less water as possible to get thick and perfect batter.
- In case the batter turns runny, add 1-2 tbsp. of fine semolina or urad dal powder or rice powder. But by doing so, there will be slight change in the taste of the vadas.
Medu Vada Recipe
No festival in Andhra is complete without making these crisp, golden and delicious Medu Vada. Medu Vadas are vegan and gluten free. Eat them in breakfast or as snack, these taste the best anytime.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Urad dal | Minapa Pappu
- 1 Onion, finely chopped
- 2 Green chilies, chopped
- 2 sprigs fresh Coriander leaves, chopped
- 10-12 Curry leaves
- 1 tbsp. Ginger, chopped
- 1 tbsp. Cumin | Jeera
- Salt, as per taste
- Oil for deep frying
Instructions
How to make Medu Vada
- Thoroughly wash and soak urad dal in 4 cups of water for 3-5 hours.
- Drain the water from urad dal and grind it to smooth paste by adding 2-3 tablespoons of chilled water.
- Remove the batter into a bowl and whisk it for 2-3 minutes by adding salt.
- In the same jar, add sliced onions, chopped green chilies, cumin, chopped ginger, chopped coriander leaves and curry leaves.
- Grind coarsely. (Pulse for not more than 10 seconds)
- Now add the above ground mixture to urad dal batter. Mix well and set aside by covering with a lid.
- In the meantime, heat enough oil in a kadai for deep frying the vadas. When the oil turns piping hot, reduce the flame to low and start adding the vadas.
- Wet your hands with oil or water and take a lemon sized ball from the batter and flatten it to form a circle, put a hole on the center with your finger.
- Slowly and carefully drop it into the hot oil. Repeat and add 3-4 vadas depending on the size of the kadai.
- Leave them in oil for 3-4 minutes. Slowly start flipping and fry on both the sides on a medium flame, till the vadas turn crisp and nice golden in color.
- Using a slotted spoon, carefully drain the excess oil and remove the vadas on to a kitchen tissue.
- Continue the process and complete the batter. Serve hot vadas with peanut chutney or ghee-podi or sambar.
- Add love to make these medu vadas taste ‘Yummy’.
Notes
Lubna's Serving Suggestions:
Medu Vada is often served in weddings or celebrations. These are served as starter or as snack.
These vadas are served with ven pongal in breakfast too.
Seve medu vada with coconut chutney or peanut chutney. You can even serve this with sambar or both chutney and sambar.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 76Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 173mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 3gSugar: 2gProtein: 3g
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