This maddur vada recipe boasts a scrumptious and crispy South Indian snack ideal for tea time or as a starter. Originating from the Karnataka town of Maddur, this is a deep-fried delicacy made from the goodness of rice flour and semolina, combined in a unique texture and flavour that makes it stand out from the regular vadas. The recipe for maddur vada begins with a rice flour-semolina base. For enhanced flavour, finely chopped onions, green chillies, ginger, and coriander leaves are added to it. This mixture gives vada a delectable aroma with a hint of spiciness. Salt and a pinch of asafoetida added to this mixture give more depth to the flavour profile. After the dough has been prepared, it is then divided into smaller portions that would take on the shape of flat rounds. Then, the flat rounds are deep-fried in very hot oil until the patty is golden brown and crispy. This makes for a crisp exterior and a soft, flavour-filled interior with every bite. This maddur vada recipe is very simple and versatile enough to be enjoyed with your favourite chutneys, sambar, or even a cup of steaming hot tea. Maddur vada is an excellent snack you can present to your guests; it is a delicious delight you can treat yourself to.

• 1/2 cup rice flour
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1/2 cup onion
• 8-9 curry leaves
• 1-2 green chillies
• 3 tbsp coriander leaves
• Salt
• 1 pinch hing
• Suji

• Begin by mixing semolina or sooji and flour in a big bowl.
• Mix different flours, like all-purpose flour or wheat flour. So, here, the choice of flour will impact the texture of the vada; you can experiment with various combinations.
• Add salt to taste and a pinch of hing or asafoetida to the mixture.
• While the asafoetida gives a characteristic flavour, it is added only if available. All the above-mixed ingredients are salt and spices distributed uniformly to this mixture. The mixture thus prepared is kept aside.
• In a small bowl or steel measuring cup, heat 1 tablespoon of oil until it becomes hot. This step is very important because it gives the dough a nice texture, and the vada will be crispy once fried. Pour the hot oil into the flour, onion, and spice mixture slowly.
• Mix it with a spoon so well that the oil is uniformly spread throughout the mixture. Avoid using your hands in case you may burn your hands with the hot oil.
• Then add 4 to 4.5 tablespoons of water in parts. The quantity of water depends on the quality of semolina and flour and the moisture in onions. When you add water in parts, you can adjust the consistency of the dough.
• Mix water with the flour mixture till soft dough like chapati dough is formed. Nor too dry nor too sticky.
• If the dough is too wet or sticky, you could add 2 to 4 Tsp. maida to balance it. If the dough appears too dry, then sprinkle a little more water and mix on till it forms a soft, pliable dough.
• Now prepare the maddur vadas for frying. Heat oil in a kadai or pan for deep frying. Meanwhile, take a small or medium-sized dough portion and roll it out into an ultimate round ball or patty.
• Position that on a plantain leaf or a ziplock bag. Press down with your fingers to flatten the dough ball and obtain a round patty with about 0.25 to 0.3 mm thickness.
• Now put a small quantity of the dough mixture into hot oil. If it settles slowly and steadily to the surface, then your oil is ready for frying.
• Now gently take the patty out of the plantain leaf and put it into the hot oil with a gentle motion. According to the size of your kadai, you can fry 2 to 5 maddur vadas at the same time in the same kadai. Do not overcrowd the pan as this will lower the oil temperature and thus affect cooking.
• Let one side cook till it is done and slightly light golden. You have to be patient because you should not turn the vadas instantly, as they will break.
• Now, let one side cook, then flip over and fry the other side. Occasionally use a slotted spoon to let it fry evenly and be crisp and golden brown.
• Meanwhile, when the vadas are frying, you will see the onions turn brown and show you that actually, they are vadas which are cooking. If you like it crispy, you may need to fry it a little longer, but watch out not to fry it too long as it may become brittle.
• When the maddur vadas turn golden and crispy, carefully place them out of the oil using a slotted spoon. Place the fried vadas on a lined plate with kitchen paper towels and let the excess oil absorb. Repeat this process of frying with the remaining dough till all the vadas are cooked.
• Maddur vadas are to be savoured hot, can have it with coconut chutney or any other of your choice. This vada comes out as a perfect match of crispy texture with a mouthful of savoury flavours, making any snacking something you just cannot resist on any occasion.