Medu vada


Medu vada is a South Indian fritter made from Vigna mungo. It is usually made in a doughnut shape, with a crispy exterior and soft interior. A popular food item in South Indian, Sri Lankan Tamil cuisines, it is generally eaten as a breakfast or a snack.

Etymology

"Medu" is the Tamil word for "soft"; "medu vada" thus literally means "soft fritter". The dish is often mentioned simply as "vada" on menus.
Other names for the dish include uddina vade, urad vada, medhu vadai, ulundu vadai, garelu, batuk, and uzhunnu vada.

History

According to Vir Sanghvi, the origin of medu vada can be traced with "some certainty" to the Maddur town in present-day Karnataka. The dish was made popular outside South India by Udupi restaurateurs of Mumbai.

Preparation

The medu vada is made primarily of black lentils batter. The black lentils are soaked in water for several hours, and then ground to a paste. The paste may be flavoured with other ingredients such as asafoetida, methi seeds, ginger, cumin seeds, black pepper, curry leaves, chillies and coconut pieces. It is then patted into doughnut-shapes and fried in oil until golden brown.
One variation involves baking instead of frying. Other variations of the dish involve use of pulses other than black lentils. For example, am-bada is made with chana dal ; occasionally, tuar and masoor are also used.

Serving

The dish is usually served with sambar and coconut chutney. Along with idli, it is often eaten as a breakfast. It is also eaten as a lunch starter or a snack.
The medu vada is sometimes also served with yogurt, as a chaat snack.
In Western Nepal, commonly known as batuk or bara, it is considered to be a traditional food of the Magar people. Batuk is never missed out on any festival or family gathering, and is best served alongside pork and kodo-ko-raksi.