Ulli Vada | Onion Vada

Ingredients

• 1.25 cups thinly sliced onions or 1 large onion – thinly sliced
• ½ cup besan (gram flour)
• 2 tablespoons Rice Flour (chawal ka atta)
• 2 pinches asafoetida (hing)
• ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder (lal mirch powder)
• 10 to 12 curry leaves, chopped (kadi patta)
• salt as required
• oil for deep frying

Steps

making ulli vada batter

1. Peel 1 large onion, rinse it and cut into thin slices; you need 1.25 cups. Put the slices in a mixing bowl.
2. Follow the onions with ½ cup besan (gram flour) and 2 tablespoons rice flour.
3. The next additions are 2 pinches asafoetida (hing) and ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder.
4. Put in 10 to 12 chopped curry leaves and salt as needed.
5. Leave the mixture aside for 15 to 20 minutes once it is thoroughly mixed.
6. By now, the onion juices will have softened the vada mixture. Mix again; if it still looks dry, add a few teaspoons of water and mix thoroughly.

frying ulli vada

1. Heat the deep-frying oil in a pan. Once hot, set the flame to medium and drop spoonfuls of batter into the oil.
2. Keep the flame at medium as the ulli vada start frying.
3. Turn the vada when the first side is light golden, then fry the other side.
4. Keep frying to a crisp, golden finish.
5. Flip the vada whenever necessary as they fry.
6. Lift the vada out with a slotted spoon once they are crisp and golden.
7. Let kitchen paper towels absorb the excess oil from the fried onion vada, and fry the remaining batches in the same way.
8. Accompany the hot Kerala-style ulli vada with your choice of chutney when serving.