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medu vada | south indian medu vada | urad dal vada | garelu vada | uzhunnu vada |

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Tarla Dalal

 16 December, 2024

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मेदु वड़ा रेसिपी - हिन्दी में पढ़ें (Medu Vada ( South Indian Recipe) in Hindi)
મેદુ વડા રેસીપી - ગુજરાતી માં વાંચો (Medu Vada ( South Indian Recipe) in Gujarati)

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About Medu Vada ( South Indian Recipe) down arrow
Ingredients down arrow
Methods down arrow
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Recipe Notes for perfect medu vada down arrow
Method For Medu Vada down arrow
Nutrient values down arrow

medu vada | south indian medu vada | urad dal vada | garelu vada | uzhunnu vada | with 20 amazing images.

To make medu vada, urad dal is soaked, drained and then spices added and blended to make a smooth batter. Then small portions of urad dal vada is then deep fried.

Most South Indians consider breakfast incomplete without Medu Vada. Whether they have Idli, dosa, pongal or upma, they like to add a crispy, tasty and protein-rich urad dal vada to the platter.

In fact, when you have breakfast in a South Indian restaurant, even in the remote villages, you will be fascinated to see the waiter reel out the list of breakfast combos, almost all of them featuring vada!

Serving them fresh with Sambhar and coconut chutney however is doubly delightful.

Enjoy how to make medu vada | south indian medu vada | urad dal vada | garelu vada | uzhunnu vada recipe with detailed step by step photos and video below.

 

Medu Vada ( South Indian Recipe) recipe - How to make Medu Vada ( South Indian Recipe)

Tags

Preparation Time

5 Mins

Cooking Time

15 Mins

Total Time

20 Mins

Makes

14 medu vadas.

Ingredients

Method

For medu vada
 

  1. To make medu vada, clean, wash and soak the urad dal in enough water for atleast 2 hours.
  2. Drain, add the green chillies, pepper, curry leaves and ginger and blend in a mixer to a smooth batter, adding approx. ½ cup water.
  3. Immerse both your hands in a bowlful of water and wet your hands well.
  4. Add the onions and salt and mix well and divide the mixture into 14 equal portions. Keep aside.
  5. Take a portion of the batter and place it in a palm and lightly flatten it.
  6. Using your index finger of the other hand make a hole in the centre of the vada.
  7. Transfer the vada on the fingers of the other hand and carefully slide it in hot oil.
  8. Deep-fry on a medium flame till it turns golden brown in colour from both the sides. You can deep-fry 2 to 3 medu vadas at a time.
  9. Repeat with the remaining batter to make more medu vadas. Drain on an absorbent paper.
  10. Serve the medu vada immediately with sambhar and coconut chutney.
     

 


Medu Vada recipe, Vada Recipe ( South Indian Recipe), urad dal vada Video by Tarla Dalal

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Medu Vada ( South Indian Recipe) recipe with step by step photos

Like Medu Vada

 

    1. Like Medu Vada, ( Vddina vada, Vada recipe,  Medhu vadai, Ulundu vadai ) then see our collection of vada recipes.  Vada is to South India what Samosa is to the North! Vada is a crispy deep-fried snack made with a dal-based batter. For hardcore vada lovers, not a day passes without having it with breakfast or lunch, or as an evening snack. A sumptuous breakfast platter generally combines Idli, Dosa or Ven Pongal with a ‘single vada’, which is how a single piece of hot and crisp Urad Vada ( Medu Vada ) is fondly called. See some popular vada recipes.
Recipe Notes for perfect medu vada

 

    1. Don’t grind the batter for too long at once as it will make the batter more like a paste and heat up the grinder resulting into hard vadas. Grind it for few seconds, stop and then grind it again for few seconds. Follow this method to grind the batter.
    2. Preferably, use cold water while grinding the medu vada batter.
    3. If you have authentic grinding stone or wet grinder then you can churn the batter in the traditional fashion.
    4. Once the batter is ground, prepare the vada immediately and do not leave it to ferment.
    5. If you are preparing vada after some time then do not add salt to the batter. Salt makes batter watery if you keep for long time. So, add salt just before preparing the medu vada.
    6. After grinding, beat the medu vada batter using your hand for 8-10 minutes in one direction. This process incorporates air which makes the vada light and fluffy. To check if the batter is fluffy enough or no, drop a portion of batter in a bowl filled with water and if it floats on the surface it means that batter is perfectly fluffy. Also, if you invert the bowl, the batter won’t fall. This shows it has been well made.
    7. If batter is too watery and not holding shape then add few tablespoons of rice flour or semolina. It will make the batter thick and the vada will also turn crispy.
    8. If you are a beginner and find it difficult to shape vadas on your palm, you can use a greased plastic sheet or a banana leaf to shape the vadas. Place a portion of the vada on it, give a round shape and make a hole in the center of vada. Take the vada gently from plastic sheet into the wet palm, add it to the oil and deep fry it.
Method For Medu Vada

 

    1. For making the medu vada batter, clean and wash the urad dal 2-3 times in water. Soak it in enough water for atleast 2 hours. If you soak for less time, then the medu vada will turn out hard. 2-3 hours of soaking is ideal for urad dal. More than that or overnight soaking is not required and causes dal to soak more water unnecessarily. Cover with a lid and keep aside.
    2. Drain the urad dal. The urad dal will almost double in volume and become soft.
    3. Transfer the soaked urad dal to a mixer jar.
    4. Add the green chillies.
    5. Add the peppercorns.
    6. Add the curry leaves.
    7. Add the ginger. 
    8. Adding approx. ½ cup water.
    9. Blend in the mixer to a smooth batter, Don’t add too much water while grinding else the batter will turn watery and it will be difficult to shape the medhu vadai.
    10. Once done, remove the batter in a bowl. The medu vada batter should have a thick consistency and will look like this.
    11. Add the onions, this is optional but better to add as it taste great.
    12. Add the salt Mix well using a spoon.
    13. Divide the ulundu vadai mixture into 14 equal portions. Keep aside.
    14. Wet your hand. Dipping your hands in water helps in shaping the medu vada nicely.
    15. Take a portion of the medu vada mixture in your hand.
    16. Press it gently and make thick round shaped vada. Make a hole in the centre with your thumb.
    17. For frying the South-Indian medu vada, heat the oil in a kadhai. Upturn your hand and drop the ulundu vadai in oil very carefully.
    18. Deep fry 3-4 medu wada at a time.
    19. Flip and cook the urad dal vada till both sides turn golden brown in colour on a medium flame. Do not fry on high flame they will give you the golden colour but they will be raw from inside. And do not fry on low heat they will absorb a lot of oil. Drain the garelu vada on an absorbent paper.
    20. Repeat with the remaining batter to make more medu wadas.
    21. Serve the hotel style medu vadas hot with fried coconut chutney and sambhar.
    22. Our website  has many more traditional vada recipe which can be enjoyed as evening snacks or breakfast.
Nutrient values (Abbrv)per plate

Nutrient values (Abbrv) per medu vada
 

Energy97 cal
Protein3.6 g
Carbohydrates8.9 g
Fiber1.8 g
Fat5.2 g
Cholesterol0 mg
Sodium6 mg

Click here to view Calories for Medu Vada ( South Indian Recipe)

The Nutrient info is complete

Your Rating*

user
bhavi naik

March 13, 2025, midnight

5 
user
Rashida

March 13, 2025, midnight

Hai.mam. Itried first time medu vada receipe. But I can''''t give proper shape & also its not prepared soft. So please help me.

5 
user
Tarla Dalal

March 13, 2025, midnight

Hi, Do watch the below video it will help you... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQ96ScSXVlY

user
Pinky gholve

March 13, 2025, midnight

5 
user
Sneha

March 13, 2025, midnight

Thanks for the information

5 
user
Anshu

March 13, 2025, midnight

5 
user
Anshu

March 13, 2025, midnight

Mam your recipe is very easy .l tried it n find it is very very tasty. Thanku so much to u

5 
user
Tarla Dalal

March 13, 2025, midnight

Hi Anshu, Thank you for your kind words. Do try more and more recipes and let us know how you enjoyed them. Happy Cooking !!

user
Priya Pujari

March 13, 2025, midnight

I tried making medu vada for the first time and it turned out yummy and crispy. Thanks for the quick and easy recipe for tasty vadas

5 
user
Tarla Dalal

March 13, 2025, midnight

Very pleased to hear From you Priya that the recipe turned out great for you. Do keep trying more of it and share your feedback. Happy Cooking!!!

user
Radhika

March 13, 2025, midnight

Hi Mam I tried this recipe but the batter leaves water once I add the salt after grinding . Then it is highly difficult to shape the vadas. Kindly guide.

5 
user
Tarla Dalal

March 13, 2025, midnight

At step 2 the amount of water you add while grinding needs to be monitored very carefully. Add just enough water to make a batter of dropping consistency like bhajia and not pouring consistency like dosa. This would make shaping the vadas easier. Do try it and share your feedback with us.

user
Tasneem

March 13, 2025, midnight

Hii mam, I have a always tried all different recipes under your guidance n have become a best mom wife n daughter in law. . Thanks a lottt...

5 
user
Tarla Dalal

March 13, 2025, midnight

Thanks for your kind words. Happy cooking.

user
amulya gogoi

March 13, 2025, midnight

5 
user
Neeru

March 13, 2025, midnight

5 
user
Tarla Dalal

March 13, 2025, midnight

Hi Neeru , we are delighted you loved the Medu Vada recipe. Please keep posting your thoughts and feedback and review recipes you have loved. Happy Cooking.

user
AYUSHIJAISWAL

March 13, 2025, midnight

5 
user
Shweta

March 13, 2025, midnight

Hello tarlaji, if I want to make wadas early morning - can I grind & beat the batter and keep in fridge overnite ? Also should I allow the batter to come to room temperature before frying???

5 
user
Deepa

March 13, 2025, midnight

I have tried many of ur recipes n use to feel happy my children have liked every recipe I use to prepare from ur books nown trying to fulfil the grand daughter demands. Thanks for the easy methods to prepare

5 
user
Nirmala

March 13, 2025, midnight

I tried the recipe today. It turned out very well. I added some chopped dhania as well. It was tasty. However I had difficulty getting it into the pan as it kept getting misshapen. Any suggestions on how to improve on that. Thanks.

5 
user
Tarla Dalal

March 13, 2025, midnight

You can try one of these. If batter is too watery and not holding shape then add few tablespoons of rice flour or semolina. It will make the batter thick and the vada will also turn crispy. If you are a beginner and find it difficult to shape vadas on your palm, you can use a greased plastic sheet or a banana leaf to shape the vadas. Place a portion of the vada on it, give a round shape and make a hole in the center of vada. Take the vada gently from plastic sheet into the wet palm, add it to the oil and deep fry it.

user
Too good mam

March 13, 2025, midnight

5 
user
zamir magid

March 13, 2025, midnight

ur recepie is d best..really liked it

5 
user
Ranjit Modi

March 13, 2025, midnight

5 
user
Tarla Dalal

March 13, 2025, midnight

Ranjit, we are delighted you liked the recipe and thanks for your feedback.

user
Krishna Kumar

March 13, 2025, midnight

I have cooked vadas before but reading this was very useful, cooking tips from an experienced chief is very valuable

5 
user
Foodie#392535

March 13, 2025, midnight

5 
user
SURBHI GROVER

March 13, 2025, midnight

5 
user
Tarla Dalal

March 13, 2025, midnight

Surbhi, Thanks for the feedback !!! keep reviewing recipes you loved.

user
Foodie #698947

March 13, 2025, midnight

I ate medu vada my first time in South India, together with dosas, idli, sambhar and all the chutneys and I was delighted. We often cook indian food like tandoori murgi, palak paneer, chana masala or dal. While looking for recipes I have found this app and started do prepare dosas, sambhar and medu vada. Simply delicious! Recipes are very well explained, with all the ingredients and preparation mode, even with videos, great! My family is delighted to eat such a good food. Ingredients are no problem here in Germany, we find everything in indian or asian shops! Thank you very much for all those recipes, wish you all the best andI am looking forward to try out some more "svadisht" foods!

5 
user
Dr Sushil Bhattacharya

March 13, 2025, midnight

I love all your cooking instructions...Thanks for your nice efforts to teach nice cooking methods..

5 
user
Tarla Dalal

March 13, 2025, midnight

Thanks for the feedback !!! keep reviewing recipes you loved.

user
Manisha

March 13, 2025, midnight

5 
user
Kiran Sebastian

March 13, 2025, midnight

Kaya isme dose ki tarh khamir ki jarurat nahi hai

5 
user
Tarla Dalal

March 13, 2025, midnight

Hi Kiran, No need to add anything extra, follow exact recipe. After trying do let us know how it turned out Happy Cooking !!

user
Bhawna Khandelwal

March 13, 2025, midnight

5 
user
Tarla Dalal

March 13, 2025, midnight

Hi Bhawna , we are delighted you loved the Medu Vada recipe. Please keep posting your thoughts and feedback. Happy Cooking.

user
Mansi J

March 13, 2025, midnight

Medu vadas are almost everyone''s favourite..i loved the way the recipe is explained to make the vadas without a medu vada making equipment..Simple and delicious flavour of the south..I follow this recipe always..

5 
user
shreya_the foodie

March 13, 2025, midnight

I thought medu vadas would be kind of tricky, but i pulled this off quite okay! Loved the zing the green chillies and kadi patta get in! good recipe for nice crunchy soft medu vadas!

5 
user
Kaur

March 13, 2025, midnight

Love the recipe. Thanks

5 
user
Tarla Dalal

March 13, 2025, midnight

Thanks Kaur, your feedback on menu vada will help many users to try the recipe.

user
rbagasariya

March 13, 2025, midnight

when i had tried it a month ago,it tasted very good but i could not make a shape. then i had buy a meduvada maker for 100rs. and try again and the result was awesome.thank you very much for the recipe.

5 
user
salma

March 13, 2025, midnight

I tried.. it came out too good.. thank you??

5 
user
Tarla Dalal

March 13, 2025, midnight

Hi Salma, Thank you so much for your kind words. Do keep trying more and more recipes and let us know how you enjoyed them. Happy Cooking !!

user
Anita

March 13, 2025, midnight

5 
user
Krupali Shukla

March 13, 2025, midnight

i love south Indian food and Love this recipe.

5 
user
Tarla Dalal

March 13, 2025, midnight

Hi Krupali , we are delighted you loved the Medu Vada recipe. Please keep posting your thoughts and feedback. Happy Cooking.

user
MINAL

March 13, 2025, midnight

Too Good

5 
user
Tarla Dalal

March 13, 2025, midnight

Thanks Minal for the feedback.

user
riya

March 13, 2025, midnight

5 
user
Tarla Dalal

March 13, 2025, midnight

Hi Riya , we are delighted you loved the Medu Vada recipe. Please keep posting your thoughts and feedback. Happy Cooking.

user
Navnath more

March 13, 2025, midnight

Very good info easy to understand

5 
user
lina

March 13, 2025, midnight

Good

5 
user
Tarla Dalal

March 13, 2025, midnight

Hi Lina , we are delighted you loved the Medu Vada recipe. Please keep posting your thoughts and feedback. Happy Cooking.

user

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