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Lathi's Kitchen

Easy recipes with simple ingredients.

Home » Snacks » Medu Vada/Indian Savory Doughnut

Medu Vada/Indian Savory Doughnut

By Lathiya Shanmugasundaram 28 Comments
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Happy Diwali friends. Medu Vada or Uzhunu Vada is an Indian Savory doughnut made of Urad dal. This is my next recipe for you this Diwali. You can read about Diwali and a dessert recipe in this post.

Medu Vada

Medu Vada is an Indian version of a savory doughnut. It is a perfect gluten-free snack made with urad dal. It’s crispy out and soft from the inside. There will be no tea shops without this vada. I remember when we were in India, our weekly market purchase ended with having this vada piping hot with some chutneys in a shop near the market. Share how many of you have such experience.

A plate with medu vada.

There are varieties made with this medu vada like Sambar vada, Dahi vada. Whatever way you eat, still it’s delicious and I bet that you can’t stop with one.

Table Of Contents
  1. Medu Vada
  2. How to make Medu Vada
  3. Other snack recipes in this space are
  4. Medu vada recipe
  5. Medu Vada/Urad Dal Vada
  6. Pin this to your favorite board

How to make Medu Vada

The first step to make Medu Vada is to soak Urad dal for a minimum of 45 minutes. Grind it in a wet grinder using less water. You can also mixer to grind the dal but the best consistency is achieved when grinding in a wet grinder. Grind till smooth and fluffy. If you add a pinch of ground batter to a glass of water, it should float. It is the right consistency.

Remove to a bowl
Add all other ingredients
Try with plastic sheet
Making shape,flip it in hands before dropping in oil

Remove the ground batter to a bowl, and add chopped onions, green chilies, and other spices. Take a small portion of the batter and make a round shape in your hand or a banana leaf or a plastic sheet. Make a small hole in the center and deep fry in hot oil on medium flame. Enjoy with some chutney and sambar along with a cup of tea.

Sambar Vada

Other snack recipes in this space are

Aloo/Potato Fritters

5 Ingredients Oven Roasted Garlic Potato Wedges

Kara Paniyaram

2 Ingredients Cinnamon Sugar Twists

Shallots Fritters

Medu vada recipe

INGREDIENTS

Urad dal – 1 cup

Onions – 1/2 cup chopped finely

Green chilies – 2 chopped finely ( I didn’t use it)

Ginger – 1 tbsp chopped

Peppercorns – 1 tsp

Curry leaves – a few chopped

Coriander leaves/ Cilantro – a few chopped

Salt – as required

Oil – to deep fry

METHOD

  • Soak Urad dal for a minimum of 45 minutes to 2 hours.
  • Wash thoroughly and drain water.
  • Grind it with a little water in a wet grinder or blender.
  • If needed just sprinkle water. Do not use more.
  • The batter should be thick and smooth. If you drop the batter in a glass of water it should float.
  • Remove it to a bowl.
  • Add chopped onions, chopped ginger, green chilies, peppercorns, salt, curry leaves, and cilantro.
  • Mix thoroughly.
  • Heat oil in a kadai or pot.
  • Take a small portion of the batter in your hand. Make a hole in the middle.
  • Drop it in hot oil carefully.
  • When one side is cooked flip to the other side.
  • Cook on medium flame till golden.
  • Serve with Sambar or Coconut Chutney.
Soak Urad Dal
Grind with little water
Batter should float in water
Remove to a bowl
Add all other ingredients
Make vada shape
Drop in hot oil

NOTES

  1. While grinding the dal, use only LITTLE QUANTITY of water. That is the important thing to keep in mind.
  2. The batter should be thick and smooth.
  3. Adding green chilies is optional. I didn’t add it as serving for kids.
  4. If you can’t get the right shape in your hands, try making it in a plastic sheet and then drop it in oil.
  5. Oil should be hot enough while dropping vada, if not vada will be oily.
Medu Vada,Snack,Fritters,Indian Snack,Gluten free,Tea time Snack,Vada

Medu Vada/Urad Dal Vada

5 from 1 vote
Medu Vada or Uzhunu Vada is an Indian Savory doughnut made of Urad dal. This is my next recipe to you for this Diwali.
Print Recipe
Course
Snack
Cuisine
Indian
Prep Time1 hour hour
Cook Time15 minutes minutes
Total Time1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes
Calories
AuthorLathiya
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup Urad Dal
  • 1/2 cup Onion Chopped Finely
  • 2 nos Green Chilli Chopped
  • 1 Tbsn Ginger Chopped
  • 1 tsp Pepper corns
  • Curry leaves few chopped
  • Coriander leaves/Cilantro few chopped
  • Salt as required
  • Oil to deep fry
Pin this for later

Instructions

  • Soak Urad dal for minimum 45 minutes to 2 hour.
  • Wash thoroughly and drain water.
  • Grind it with little water in wet grinder or blender.
  • If needed just sprinkle water.Do not use more.
  • The batter should be thick and smooth.If you drop the batter in a glass of water it should float.
  • Remove it to a bowl.
  • Add chopped onions,chopped ginger,green chilies,Pepper corns,Salt,Curry leaves and cilantro.
  • Mix thouroghly.
  • Heat oil in a kadai or pot.
  • Take a small portion of batter in your hand.Make a hole in middle.
  • Drop it in hot oil carefully.When one side is cooked flip to other side.
  • Cook in medium flame till golden.
  • Serve with Sambar or Coconut Chutney.

Notes

  1. While grinding the dal,use only LITTLE QUANTITY of water.That is the important thing to keep in mind.
  2. The batter should be thick and smooth.
  3. Adding green chilies are optional.I didn’t add as serving for kids.
  4. If you couldn’t get right shape in your hands,try making it in a plastic sheet and then drop in oil.
  5. Oil should be hot enough while dropping vada,if not vada will be oily.
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Medu Vada/ Urad Dal Fritters
Medu vada on a plate with a bowl of sambar and tea cup on the side.

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Filed Under: Snacks October 17, 2017 - Post originally published November 5, 2023 - Post last modified

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Suhas Chitre says

    February 7, 2020 at 12:43 am

    Lathiya, getting the Medu Vada right is quite difficult. I have tried preparing Medu Vadas several times but always fail to get the perfect flavour. Since you have shared this recipe here, I am going to try it myself. Hope it turns as nice as shown in your post. Next time do share some posts of chutney recipes to go with the Vadas.

    Reply
    • Lathiya Shanmugasundaram says

      February 7, 2020 at 1:23 pm

      Thank you. Sure.

      Reply
  2. Ipsa Faujdar says

    January 15, 2019 at 10:22 am

    Medu vada is one of my favourite dish I can have it any time. LOve youre recipe dear.

    Reply
    • Lathiya Shanmugasundaram says

      January 16, 2019 at 2:35 am

      Thank you so much dear

      Reply
  3. farmerunclefruits says

    January 23, 2018 at 11:03 am

    I will surely try making this. Thanks for sharing

    Reply
    • Lathiya Shanmugasundaram says

      January 23, 2018 at 6:37 pm

      Thank you 😊

      Reply
  4. firsttimercook says

    October 25, 2017 at 7:58 am

    I can have these crispy ones anytime as it is or wid sambhar

    Reply
    • Lathiya Shanmugasundaram says

      October 25, 2017 at 12:06 pm

      Thank you 😊

      Reply
  5. Dhwani Mehta says

    October 24, 2017 at 6:42 pm

    Can have these any time of the day.. even in the mid-night… hahhaa… Looks delicious dear.

    Reply
    • Lathiya Shanmugasundaram says

      October 24, 2017 at 9:41 pm

      True..there is no specific time to enjoy this..Thank you dear

      Reply
  6. Uma Srinivas says

    October 24, 2017 at 5:45 pm

    These looks good. My favorite snack/ breakfast 🙂

    Reply
    • Lathiya Shanmugasundaram says

      October 24, 2017 at 9:41 pm

      Thank you dear..

      Reply
  7. Jagruti says

    October 24, 2017 at 4:26 pm

    Crispy and delicious vada looks so tempting!

    Reply
    • Lathiya Shanmugasundaram says

      October 24, 2017 at 9:40 pm

      Thank you dear

      Reply
  8. end of the fork says

    October 24, 2017 at 3:30 pm

    I love warm vadas! I’m looking forward to making this – so much better than using a packet mix!

    Reply
    • Lathiya Shanmugasundaram says

      October 24, 2017 at 9:39 pm

      Do try..definitely worth than store bought..let me know your feedback..Thank you

      Reply
  9. MyCulinarySaga says

    October 24, 2017 at 2:59 pm

    Wow they look so perfect. I’m craving these for breakfast now… yum

    Reply
    • Lathiya Shanmugasundaram says

      October 24, 2017 at 9:27 pm

      Thank you dear..

      Reply
  10. Freda @ Aromatic essence says

    October 24, 2017 at 4:15 am

    They look crisp and perfect! 🙂

    Reply
    • Lathiya Shanmugasundaram says

      October 24, 2017 at 9:26 pm

      Thank you Freda

      Reply
  11. hijackedbytwins says

    October 22, 2017 at 8:36 pm

    Oh my these look so good! I must try these, my lot would love them I am sure! Thank you for sharing with #CookBlogShare x

    Reply
    • Lathiya Shanmugasundaram says

      October 23, 2017 at 2:23 am

      Thank you😊.. will be glad if you made that..let me know your feedback when you try 😊

      Reply
  12. curryandvanilla says

    October 20, 2017 at 3:42 pm

    Can have these any time, especially soaked in sambhar!!! Thanks so much Lathiya for bringing it to the party at FiestaFriday 🙂 🙂

    Reply
    • Lathiya Shanmugasundaram says

      October 23, 2017 at 2:16 am

      Thank you so much 😊..as you said we can enjoy this any given time 😊

      Reply
  13. chefkreso says

    October 18, 2017 at 7:13 pm

    These doughnuts look so crispy and delicious, I’d love to try them out, they sounds simple enough 😀

    Reply
    • Lathiya Shanmugasundaram says

      October 18, 2017 at 7:35 pm

      Thank you so much 😊.. you will love this for sure.. let me know your feedback when you try

      Reply
      • chefkreso says

        October 19, 2017 at 11:56 am

        I’ll make some for friends this weekend probably, can’t wait! 😀

      • Lathiya Shanmugasundaram says

        October 19, 2017 at 1:53 pm

        Wow..that’s great..😊..wish you will get right.. please feel free to ask if you have any questions..

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