pepper vada / Milagu Vadai

Instructions

Soak and Grind:

Soak the urad dal for just 15 minutes.

Grind the soaked urad dal along with pepper and salt to a thick, smooth batter without adding too much water. The batter should be thick enough to shape into vadas.

Add Hot Oil and Baking Soda:

Heat 1-2 teaspoons of oil in a small pan and add it to the ground mixture.

If using, add a pinch of baking soda to the batter. This helps in making the vadas crispier.

Mix everything well until the batter is light and fluffy.

Shape the Vadas:

Apply a little oil to your hands or a banana leaf (or a ziplock cover).

Take small portions of the batter, shape them into round vadas, and make a hole in the center if desired (traditional style).

Deep Fry:

Heat oil in a deep pan or kadai.

Fry the vadas in hot oil on medium heat until they turn golden brown and crispy on the outside.

Remove them onto a paper towel to drain the excess oil.

Serve:

Serve these crispy vadas hot with coconut chutney or sambar. You can also use these vadas for making curd vada by soaking them in seasoned curd as described earlier!