Ulundu vadai recipe, Medhu vadai recipe

  “Ulundu Vadai or Medhu Vadai, a popular, crispy, South Indian snack | breakfast accompaniment made using Urad dal. I usually make Medhu vadai during festivals or when I have guests at home, hence, never really got an opportunity to patiently click pictures. I am used to making Medhu Vadais for a long time now and I can confidently make them in large quantities as well. Since my mom is here with me for a week, I decided to make ulundu vadais and she sweetly waited for me to finish clicking the pictures, after which we both enjoyed the Vadais with piping hot filter coffee. A perfect combo for a rainy weather, you bet!

• Sambar vadai
• Thayir vadai
• Rasa vadai

Ulundu Vadai

  Preparation Time : 10 mins + Soaking 1-2 hrs | Cooking Time : 25 Mins |Makes: 20 approx.

     Whole urad dal  1 cup
     Green chili  2-3
     Ginger    a small piece (optional)
     Salt  as needed
     Asafoetida  2 pinches 
    Curry leaves  few
    Chinna vengayam  15 (optional)
    Oil   for deep frying
                       
                                             Video on how to make ulundu vadai

                    
     
     

Method:

• Soak the urad dal for an hour . I usually add the green chillis while soaking.
• Drain the water completely.

• Grind the urad dal along with green chillies, ginger(if adding).

• Normally wet grinder is most preferred for making ulundu vadai.
• While grinding the vadais do not add too much of water as we normally add while grinding idli dosa batter.
• Just sprinkle water. Else the vadas will drink too much of oil. Use ice cold water, it gives fluffiness to the vada batter and also lessens the heat generated by the mixie or grinder.
• Once the batter is done, take it out immediately from the grinder or mixie. Else the heat will make it harder.
• Just before making add salt. Add curry leaves and asafoetida.

• If adding onions, peel of the skin of the shallots and finely chop them.
• Pulse the onions in the mixer and add this to the batter.
• Normally my mom uses banana leaf for making the round shapes.
• You can use a zip lock cover.
• But if the batter is perfect you can use your hands too.
• While making vadais keep a cup of water in a wide vessel .

• Just wet your hands (before making each vadais) and take a medium ball sized batter in your hand and place it on the wet hands.
• Just pat the batter slightly and make a hole in the center.
• Heat the oil in a pan.
• The oil should be hot, keep the flame in medium while cooking.

• Just carefully slide  the vadais in the batter and cook the vadas.
• Flip it over after 2 minutes and fry till golden brown.
• If the oil is not hot the vadais will drink more oil and if it is very hot the inside portion will not get cooked. 

• Drain it in a kitchen towel.
• Repeat the same process for rest of the batter.
• Enjoy hot, crispy vadais with coconut chutney and Sambar.

Note:

1. If using mixie for grinding the urad dal use the pulse option .
2. For more quantity always use grinder else the heat generated while grinding in the mixie will not make the vadis fluffy.
3. Always grind the batter smoothly into a fine paste, else the vadais will become hard and rubbery.
4. Do not soak urad dal for more than 2 hours , else the vadais will drink too much of water.
5. If by any chance the batter turns watery just add a tblsp of rice flour.
6. Adding rice will give crispy vadais.
7. Just skip the onions in ulundu vada if you are making for poojas