Step-by-Step Instructions

1. 1.Soak Urad Dal

   Add 1 cup (230 gm) of Urad dal to a bowl. Wash the Urad dal thoroughly 4 to 5 times with water. Drain the water, then add 2.5 cups of fresh water to the dal. Cover the bowl with a lid and refrigerate for 3 hours.

2. 2.Grind the Batter

   After 3 hours of refrigeration, remove the Urad dal from the fridge. Strain the soaked Urad dal, discarding the water. Transfer the strained Urad dal to a mixer grinder jar. Add 125 ml of cold water to the jar and grind it into a fine, smooth paste.

3. 3.Prepare the Batter

   Pour the ground Urad dal batter into a large mixing bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of chopped onion, 2 green chillies, 1 teaspoon of chopped ginger, curry leaves, less than 1/2 teaspoon of cumin seeds, 10 crushed pepper, 2 pinches of asafoetida powder, 1 teaspoon of rice flour, and salt to taste. Mix all the ingredients thoroughly with your hands until well combined.

4. 4.Chill the Batter

   Cover the mixed batter and refrigerate it for 30 minutes. This step helps in achieving a crispier texture for the vadas.

5. 5.Shape and Fry Vadas

   After 30 minutes, remove the batter from the refrigerator. Heat oil in a deep pan over medium flame. Take a small portion of the batter in your hand, flatten it slightly, and make a hole in the center to form a vada shape. Carefully drop the shaped vadas into the hot oil. Fry the vadas until they turn golden brown on both sides, turning them occasionally with a slotted spoon.

6. 6.Serve

   Once the vadas are golden brown and crispy, remove them from the oil using a slotted spoon and drain any excess oil. Serve the crispy Medu Vadas hot, typically with chutney and sambar.