Medu Wada from #KitchenMayaa

Mithibai college canteen medu wada soaked in hot sambar was my all-time favourite item from the menu. We would hit the canteen almost every second day for a hot plate of wada sambar. I can’t order the medu wada all the way from canteen to Sydney but I most definitely can make them at home.

Medu wada with the hole in the middle is a tricky one to make. I’ve tried so many different recipes but I always land up making them into balls because the donut like shape would never come. Then, Sudha Ramachandran my sister-in-law shared her recipe and it works like a charm. I am sharing her recipe here. She has also referred to many sites and finally did a combination from RAK kitchen and her head!

MEDU WADA from #KitchenMayaa

INGREDIENTS

• Urad Dal – 1 cup
• Salt to taste
• Curry leaves – few
• Green chilly – 2 (increase or decrease as per taste)
• Peppercorns (crushed) – 1 tsp (increase or decrease as per taste)
• Hing – a pinch
• Coriander leaves – handful
• Ginger – 1” piece (grated)

METHOD

• Soak 1 cup whole white urad dhall few hours
• Drain and proceed to grind it in a wet grinder with absolutely no water.
• Grind to smooth batter consistency little by little without pouring water. If it sticks, sprinkle few drops only (if you get this right, everything falls into place)
• You can add grated ginger and green chilly right at the beginning if you don't want to see it physically in your wada
• Once done refrigerate batter in air tight box preferably overnight if not at least for 2 to 3 hours
• Once ready to prepare, aerate the batter by nicely mixing it with hand. Just before making wadas, add salt, finely sliced green chili, hing, coriander leaves, grated ginger, crushed pepper and curry leaves finely chopped. Mix it well
• When batter is ready, take enough oil in wok, it should be medium hot. Simultaneously wet your left Palm, place the dough on your left Palm with drops of water, make the shape of wada with a centre hole (if your batter is ground right you will get a visible hole) and transfer to tour right palm gently.  From there on proceed to place this gently on to the wok. Be very careful not to burn yourself. Use extreme caution. If you are not comfortable you can grease a small plate and glide it from there.
• I put 4 pieces at the same time once browned turned over. You have to be patient here, else it will get browned on the outside but wouldn't get cooked inside.
• Once done transfer to paper towel! Serve with chutney and Sambar 

NOTE:
Can prepare dough ahead of time and refrigerate. Very important to aerate the batter after taking out from the fridge or the wada as the come in contact with the hot oil will burst and potentially hurt you and ruin your kitchen.

VARIATIONS:

• You could add some drumstick leaves or chopped baby spinach in your wadas
• You could also add chopped onions to your wadas before frying.