Recipes, Vegetarian

Medu Vada Sambar

Once the monsoon starts, idli sambar and medu vada sambar are made every week for breakfast at our home. Warm sambar on a cold morning is comforting.

Ingredients

  • For Medu Vada
  • 1 Cup Urad Dal
  • 2 Green Chillis (finely chopped)
  • 1-inch Ginger (finely chopped)
  • Few Curry Leaves (finely chopped)
  • 2 Tbsp Coriander (finely chopped)
  • 1 Tbsp Dry Coconut (chopped)
  • A pinch of hing (asafoetida)
  • 2 tbsp rice flour
  • 1/2 Tsp Salt
  • Oil (for deep frying)
  • For the Sambar
  • 1 Cup Tamarind (extract)
  • 1/2 Tsp Turmeric
  • 1 Tsp Jaggery
  • 2 Green Chillis (slit)
  • Few Curry Leaves
  • 1/2 Onion (diced)
  • 1 Carrot (diced)
  • 2 Drumsticks (chopped)
  • 1/2 Cup Pumpkins (diced)
  • 1 Tomato (chopped)
  • 1 Tsp Salt
  • 1 Cup Water
  • 3/4 Cup Toor Dal
  • 3 Tbsp Sambar Powder

Preparation

Prep: 20 minutes
Cooking: 30 minutes

  1. For the medu vada – preparation Time: 3 hours
  2. Firstly, soak urad dal in enough water for 3 hours. Do not over soak, as the vadas will absorb oil.
  3. Drain off the water and grind to a fine fluffy paste adding water as required (I have added 4 tbsps of water to make a smooth thick paste).
  4. Transfer the paste into a large mixing bowl. Beat and mix the batter in a circular motion till it turns light (this helps to incorporate air into the batter and make medu vadas soft and fluffy).
  5. Then add ginger, few curry leaves, coriander, dry coconut, a pinch of hing, rice flour and salt as per taste. Mix the batter well.
  6. Heat the oil in large kadai.
  7. Wet your hands with enough water. Take a small ball sized dough and make it round, shaping the edges and make a hole in the center.
  8. Gently place the vada in oil and deep fry the medu vada on medium flame. Fry on both sides till they turn golden brown and crisp.
  9. Serve hot medu vada dunked in sambar.
  10. For the Sambar – In a pressure cooker, add toor dal and water, a pinch of turmeric and vegetables to boil. Give it 3-4 whistles. Once done, mash it a little. 
  11. Meanwhile in a kadai, heat tamarind extract, turmeric, jaggery, 2 green chillis, curry leaves, onion and salt as per taste. Cover and boil for 10 minutes.
  12. Then add 1 cup water, boiled toor dal and vegetables. Boil the mixture again. 
  13. Now add sambar powder, mix well and boil for 2 minutes or till flavors of sambar powder is absorbed completely.
  14. Finally, sambar is ready to serve along with hot medu wadas.

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Manisha Chavan

I come from a village in Solapur district of Maharashtra. My father was a farmer and we had a big joint family. I used to be with my grandmother all the time, we all called her Aai. Aai always took care of everybody, she loved us and cooked for us. Whether it was her grandchildren, neighbours, house helps or even their children, Aai made sure no one sleeps hungry. This inspired me to live my life a certain way and to be a better human being - without any expectations or appreciation, just giving immense love. In 1975, I got married and came to Mumbai. I lived in a joint family here too. I had no idea what poha or upma was because we always ate bhakri and bhaaji for all the three meals in the village. Eventually, I learnt everything. I am vegetarian but I learnt how to cook meat, chicken and fish because my husband liked it. Akka, my mother-in-law taught me. Surprisingly Akka was also vegetarian. Today, I am 60 and still eager to learn interesting dishes - some might be updated with time, some could be a fusion. The other day, my granddaughter taught me a new dish that I am eager to make.