Ulundhu Vadai (Medhu Vadai)

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Ulundhu vadai or Medhu vadai in one of the popular snacks in South India. It is also offered as neivedhyam during most of the festivals.

Level : Medium
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 16 pieces


Ingredients

Whole Urad dhal	1 cup
Green chillies	3 or 4
Ginger chopped finely	2 tsp
Salt	1 tsp
Asafoetida	a pinch
Pepper	1/2 tsp(optional)
Onion chopped	1 small sized (optional)
Curry Leaves	a sprig
Chopped Coriander Leaves/Cilantro	1 tablespoon
Rice flour	1 tsp

Procedure:
Step 1:
Soak the Urad dhal in enough water for 1 hr


Step 2:
Drain the water and grind the urad dhal without adding much water. Just sprinkle some water at intervals and grind it.The batter should be smooth, light and fluffy
If you are using a mixie like me for grinding, the jar usually gets heated up quickly.After 1 hr of soaking refrigerate the dhal for 1 hr.The mixie will not get heated up.Alternatively ice cold water can be used for grinding

Step 3:
Add salt, pepper, rice flour chopped onions,ginger, asafoetida, curry and coriander leaves and mix well

Step 4:
Take oil in a pan and heat it


Step 5:
Now reduce the flame
Wet your hands liberally and take a ball of dough on your right hand.With the help of thumb make a hole on the vada.Then gently skip it into the oil
If this does not work, pat the dough on your left hand and make a hole.Gently slip this into right hand and put it in the oil.

Step 6:
Once you have dropped 3 -4 vadais depending upon your pan size increase the flame and fry the vada until golden brown on both sides


Step 7:
Drain the vada in a paper towel and serve hot with chutney/sambar

Notes:

• The batter should be smooth, light and fluffy resembling butter cream icing.Do not overgrind as well
• Do not soak the dhall for too long.The vada might turn out hard
• Use less water for grinding.The batter should be thick. If the batter is dilute, do not add onions to it and add more rice flour.
• For preparing as neivedhyam we usually skip the onions.Without the onions it is fairly easy to get the perfect shape. Beginners can probably try without onion
• Adding 1 tsp of rice flour gives a crispy outer layer
• Getting the perfect shape requires a little practice.Initially I used to pat the vada in banana leaf/plastic cover.But the basic trick is to wet the hands liberally and then hold the vadas to make the shape.
• Do not fry the ulundhu vada in a very low flame. It will absorb more oil and becomes soggy
• Add the salt and rice flour only after grinding the batter