Scope

Vadai is a category of savoury fried snacks. It is known by different names in different languages – wada, vade, vadai, wadeh and bara, refer to the same snack type.Different types of vadas are made from different ingredients, ranging from lentils to potatoes, chickpeas, rice flour, etc. They are often served as a breakfast item or a snack, and also used in other food preparations (such as dahi vada and vada pav). The most popular vadai is the ulundu vadai also called medu vada, which is made from dehusked blackgram dal. Rich in protein, the ulundu vadai is a favorite offering to the deity Kalabhairava, especially in the state of Tamil Nadu.

This snack finds mention in early Indian texts belonging to the Sangam period of Tamil Nadu and also in the Manasaollasa, a 12th century Sanskrit encyclopedia compiled by Someshwara II, who ruled over large parts of present day Karnataka. Many Indians, who were sent as indentured laborers to various Carribean islands, Mauritius, Fiji, etc. by the British, who now form an important part of the Indian diaspora there have made bara an important part of their
cuisine. Bara is made of split mung beans/green gram (moong dal).

Fundamental Concepts and Principles

Vadai (Vada) may be made from split dehusked or husked lentils/legumes, sago or potatoes. Commonly used legumes include pigeon pea, chickpea, black gram and green gram. Vegetables and other ingredients are added to improve taste and nutritive value.

Fundamental Concepts and Principles

Chana dal/Bengal gram – ¼ padi

Moong dal/yellow gram – ¼ padi

Wheat flour – 6 palam

Ghee – 3 palam

Salt – 1 palam

Green chillies – 2 palam

Coriander leaves – 2 palam

Ginger – 1 palam

Asafetida – 1/16 palam

Lemon – 3

Sesame oil/ghee – 25 palam

Method

For legume-based vadas, the legumes (dal) are soaked with water, and then ground to a batter. Other ingredients, such as cumin seeds, onion, curry leaves (sometimes previously sauteed), salt, chillies or black peppercorns are added. Often ginger and baking soda are added to the seasoning in shops to increase the fluffy texture and improve fermentation. The mixture is then shaped and deep-fried, resulting in vadas with a crispy skin and fluffy centre.

Vadais are preferably eaten freshly fried, while still hot and crunchy. They are served with a variety of dips including sambar, wet or dry chutneys and dahi/mor (yogurt/curds) Medu/ulundu vadai are typically served along with a main course such as dosa, idli, or pongal with coconut chutney and sambar as accompaniments.

Method

  • Fry Bengal gram and Yellow lentils separately in ghee. Then mix both and soak it in water. Add salt, green chillies, coriander leaves, ginger, asafetida to the soaking dals. After soaking for an hour, remove the water and set aside. Grind all these without adding much water. Squeeze three lemons to the dal and knead well.
  • Knead the wheat flour tightly with water. Sprinkle water to the wheat flour which is kneaded above and pat some sesame oil to it and keep it aside for half an hour.
  • This will make the kneaded flour soft. Take a lemon sized amount and keep it like a cup in your palm and add the ground lentils inside the cup and seal it well.
  • Flatten it carefully and fry it in ghee or oil. Turn the sides when it is slightly red. Repeat this procedure for the rest of the flour also.

Hindu Compliance Body

The Hindu compliance body was established under the executive order of The Supreme Pontiff of Hinduism, dated August 14, 2020, order number 10010, under the title Reviving the Hindu Compliance System and Body to create, promote, spread and teach the standard procedures for all products and services that are in compliance Hindu Shastras.

Copyright

HCS has the copyright of all its publications.  No part of these publications may be reproduced in any form without the prior permission in writing to HCS. This does not preclude the free use, in the course of implementing standard, of necessary details mentioned above. Enquiries related to copyrights to be addressed to KAILASA.