Crisp maddur vada is an emotion! I am not just writing a random sentence here, it is a fact! A small village called Maddur near Mysore in the beautiful land of Karnataka is where this wonder snack was invented. Like I have put in the tagline for this recipe, monsoon and maddur vada are synonymous. To welcome the elusive rain let’s do ti with a super snack!
For making Maddur vada you need to get the proportions of flour right to get a crispy and beautiful texture. But the most important thing to make crisp maddur vada is to use finely chopped onions. Here I have used my trusty chopper to do the job but do test your knife skills if you fancy it. One more important part of the process is to add a little smoking hot oil to the maddur vada to get the crispness.
Maddur vada is childhood nostalgia for many, going to Mysore and on the way stopping at Maddur. School holidays used to be that, a big one day Mysore trip with a big group. Making stops along the Bangalore-Mysore highway, buying toys at Channapatna, breakfast at Kamat, going to the zoo, Mysore palace, KRS and finally a stop at Maddur to buy Maddur vada.
More such fun monsoon recipes:
Onion Pakoda
Palak Pakoda
Uddina Vada
Bread Cutlet
- 2-3 big onions or 5-6 shallots
- 10-12 curry leaves
- 1" ginger
- ½ Tsp red chilli powder
- Salt to taste
- ¼ Cup crushed cashewnuts
- 1 big pinch hing/asafoetida
- ¼ Cup rice flour
- ½ Cup maida/all purpose flour
- ¼ Cup chiroti rava
- 2 Tbsp oil
- Water if required
- Oil to deep fry
- Finely chop onions, curry leaves and ginger
- Add this to a bowl
- Next add red chilli powder, hing, crushed cashews and salt to taste
- Mix everything very well, the onions soften a bit in its own juices
- Now is the time to add the flours, rice flour, maida and rava
- Mix everything well with the onion mixture
- Heat 2 Tbsp oil till it just starts smoking
- Pour this carefully over the mixture in the bowl
- Slowly with a spatula or spoon start mixing, do not use your hands at this stage as the oil will be very hot
- When the mixture is just warm and you can handle it, start mixing everything and add little water to bring it all together
- Do not knead, make a pliable dough
- Now to make the maddur vada, keep all the things together, a butter paper or banana leaf, slotted spoon, kitchen towel lined plate, the dough and start heating enough oil in a deep pan
- Oil your fingers and take a small ball and lightly press the maddur vada as shown
- The maddur vada should not be very thing nor very thick
- Carefully slide the vada into the oil, be very careful with this step, do NOT do this if children are around
- Fry on medium flame till golden and crisp on the outer edges
- Drain onto paper towels to absorb excess oil
- Serve hot with coconut chutney
Do NOT fry the vada if children are around, be careful as there will be hot oil
Fry on medium heat only, frying on high flame spoils the texture of the maddur vada
Maddur Vada Stepwise:
Finely chop onions, curry leaves and ginger
Add this to a bowl
Next add red chilli powder, hing, crushed cashews and salt to taste
Mix everything very well, the onions soften a bit in its own juices
Now is the time to add the flours, rice flour, maida and rava
Mix everything well with the onion mixture
Heat 2 Tbsp oil till it just starts smoking
Pour this carefully over the mixture in the bowl
Slowly with a spatula or spoon start mixing, do not use your hands at this stage as the oil will be very hot
When the mixture is just warm and you can handle it, start mixing everything and add little water to bring it all together
Do not knead, make a pliable dough
Now to make the maddur vada, keep all the things together, a butter paper or banana leaf, slotted spoon, kitchen towel lined plate, the dough and start heating enough oil in a deep pan
Oil your fingers and take a small ball and lightly press the maddur vada as shown
The maddur vada should not be very thing nor very thick
Carefully slide the vada into the oil, be very careful with this step, do NOT do this if children are around
Fry on medium flame till golden and crisp on the outer edges
Drain onto paper towels to absorb excess oil
Serve hot with coconut chutney
