Medu Vada

Lentil fritters with a dark, crunchy crust. The interior is a dense yet light mousse, punctuated by the heat of chili and the resinous scent of fried curry leaves.

• Prep time: 250 min
• Cook time: 20 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 751
• Protein: 17 g
• Carbs: 44 g
• Fat: 57 g

Ingredients

• 250 g urad dal ( soaked )
• 1 piece Onion ( very finely chopped )
• 2 piece Hot chili pepper ( minced )
• 10 piece curry leaves ( torn )
• 1 tsp Black peppercorns ( coarsely crushed )
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds ( whole )
• 1 pinch asafoetida
• 1 tsp Gray sea salt
• 224 ml Peanut oil ( absorbed during frying (estimated) )
• 15 g Fresh ginger ( grated )

Instructions

1. Soaking the lentils

   Rinse the urad dal until the water runs clear. Soak in a large volume of cold water for at least 4 hours. The grains should double in size and crush easily under a fingernail.

2. Grinding and aeration

   Drain thoroughly. Blend the lentils, adding water by the spoonful, just enough to obtain a thick, smooth paste. Whisk the batter vigorously by hand for 5 minutes: it should turn white and a small ball of batter should float on the surface of a glass of water.

3. Seasoning the batter

   Stir in the finely chopped onion, grated ginger, chopped chili, torn curry leaves, cumin, crushed black pepper, asafoetida, and salt. Mix briefly to avoid deflating the batter.

4. Frying

   Heat the oil to 180°C. Wet your hands, form a ball of batter, poke a hole in the center with your thumb, and gently slide into the oil. Fry until the crust is golden brown and the frying sound subsides, indicating the moisture has evaporated.

Chef's tips

• The secret is in the water: add it drop by drop in the blender. A batter that is too runny is impossible to shape and will soak up too much oil.
• If you struggle to form the hole, use a piece of oiled banana leaf or plastic wrap to slide the vada into the hot oil.

Storage

Eat immediately to preserve the crunch. Keeps for 24h in the fridge, reheat in a dry oven to restore texture.