Directions:

• The trick to making perfect vadas is by soaking and grinding urad dal correctly. Soak 1 cup urad dal after washing it in 3 cups of water.
• About 6 hours is enough. Now drain the dal or lentils and blend in a blender so that the dal is nicely blended. Add a little water if needed.
• Make sure that the blended lentils stay thick. Now with your hands or an electric beater, beat the blended lentils for about 3 minutes till they become light and fluffy. Add ⅛th tsp. or 1 pinch baking soda for a fluffy vada and mix well.
• Do not add any more water.
• Now add chopped ginger, green chillies, pepper, salt and asafoetida. You can also add chopped curry leaves and 1 tsp. cumin.
• Mix gently.
• Now using your hands or spoon, make donut shaped vadas. Apply water to your palms, take a large spoonful, shape it like vadas and make a hole in the centre then gently slide it into hot oil.
• My vadas do not look very round but I don’t mind it. You can also use a donut mould to make this job easier.
• Repeat the same with other vadas. Fry on both sides till golden brown and cooked. Take out with slotted spoon and serve hot.
• Add 1 tsp. Oil to the vada batter and mix gently.
• Preheat air fryer at 150C or 300F for about 4 minutes.
• Take a parchment paper cut to the shape of your air fryer basket. Place the parchment paper in the air fryer basket.
• Now using a ladle or large spoon, place large dollops of medu vada batter right onto the basket. Place as many as will fit into your sheet. You can make a hole in the centre using your spoon.
• If you don’t want the donut shape, you can just make regular round vadas using your spoon to ladle out the vada mix onto the parchment paper.
• Air fry at 180C or 360F for about 8 minutes. The vadas would start setting by now. Lightly brush with oil on top. Now flip the vadas and lightly brush with oil again.
• Air fry again at 180C or 360F for about 8 minutes.
• Now increase the temperature to 200C or 390F and air fry for another 2-3 minutes to get a darker golden brown colour and crunch outside.
• Remove them and serve hot with either dip or chutney or choice.
• I have also made the same without donut shape and it turns out the same delicious and fluffy inside while being crunchy outside.
• My family loved the air fryer version a lot. Do give these a try and let me know.
• Brush ramekins with oil and place one heaped tsp. of vada batter in each. Air fry in preheated air fryer at 180C or 360F for 8 minutes.
• Lightly brush with oil on top. Now flip the vadas and lightly brush with oil again.
• Air fry again at 180C or 360F for about 8-12 minutes till they are browned outside and cooked inside. Use a knife to make a hole in the center if you so wish.
• Serve hot. Your medu vadas are ready.
• Brush silicone cupcake molds with oil and place one heaped tsp. of vada batter in each. Air fry in preheated air fryer at 180C or 360F for 8 minutes.
• Lightly brush with oil on top. Now flip the vadas and lightly brush with oil again.
• Air fry again at 180C or 360F for about 8-12 minutes till they are browned outside and cooked inside. Use a knife to make a hole in the center if you so wish.
• Serve hot. Your medu vadas are ready.