Medu Vada

Method

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1. Soak the urad dal in cold water for 4 hours, then drain thoroughly.

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2. Grind to a thick, fluffy paste, adding the cold water a spoonful at a time. Use as little as you can.

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3. Beat the batter hard with your hand or a spoon for 5 minutes, lifting and folding.

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4. Test it: a small spoonful dropped into a glass of water should float. If it sinks, beat 2 minutes more.

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5. Fold in the ginger, chillies, curry leaves, pepper, salt and asafoetida.

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6. Heat the oil to 170C.

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7. Wet your palm, take a lump of batter, flatten it and press a hole through the middle with a wet thumb.

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8. Slide four vada into the oil and fry 5 minutes, turning once, until deep gold.

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9. Drain on a rack and repeat with the rest.

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10. Serve immediately, while the outside is still crisp.

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Chef’s Tips

• The float test decides whether they will be light.
• As little water as possible in the grinding.
• Wet hands for shaping, and work quickly.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• A pinch of dried chilli flakes works in place of fresh chilli — start with about a third of the quantity the green chillies in the list implies, since dried chilli is more concentrated, and add more to taste.
• A quarter-teaspoon of ground ginger per tablespoon of fresh is the standard ratio if you are working from the spice rack rather than a fresh root.

Pairing Suggestions

• Coconut chutney
• Sambar
• Filter coffee

Storage & Reheating

Eat within the hour. They soften and cannot be revived.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.