How to make ulli vada | Onion Vada recipe
Ulli vada is an authentic, tea time delicacy in Kerala. This vada recipe is easy to make with readily available ingredients.
Ulli vada kerala style:
Ulli vada preparation reminds me of the local teashops in Kerala. In these tea shops, they serve fresh tea and local snacks like parippu vada, pazham pori, onion pakoda etc.. The boiling vessel that constantly sprays aromatic steam, the open frying pan, the aroma of freshly fried local snacks, the easy camaraderie… that’s is a different experience!
How to prepare Ulli vada?
Ulli vada recipe is easy with basic ingredients with gram flour, rice flour, chopped onions, chopped ginger, asafoetida, curry leaves, coriander leaves, turmeric powder, green chillies, fennel seeds and baking soda, made into a thick batter and deep-fried.
How to thicken a vada batter?
Add little Rava (sooji). Mix well together with vada batter and rest for 10 minutes. This helps the batter the right consistency. If the vada batter is too runny, you won’t be able to take and shape it with fingers.
Table of contents:
- How to make a crispy Ulli vada?
To make crispy Ulli vada, make sure you get the oil temperature right. Medium to hot will be perfect for vadas. If the oil is too hot, the vadas will be undercooked inside.
- How can we remove excess oil from Ulli vada?
We can remove the excess oil by placing the vadas on a tissue paper.
- Can you freeze Ulli vada?
Ulli vada can be frozen up to 2 months. Deep fry half done and keep in the freezer. When you are ready to serve, keep out from the freezer and defrost in the fridge the day before. Deep-fry again and cook it to full. and serve hot.
Frequently asked questions:
Ulli vada ingredients:
- 4 tbsp – gram flour (basen)
- 1 tbsp – rice flour
- 4 – red onion sliced
- 1 tbsp – chopped ginger
- 2 pinch – asafoetida
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- fennel seeds – 1/2 tsp
- 1/2 tsp ajowan seeds
- curry leaves (chopped) 1 sprig
- 1 – tbsp coriander leaves chopped
- 1 – green chilli chopped
- black salt – to taste
- 1/2 tsp – baking soda
Ulli vada making:
- Slice the onion
- In a bowl mix sliced onions, chopped ginger, asafoiteda, turmeric powder, curry leaves, coriander leaves, green chillies, fennel seeds, ajowan seeds and black salt.
- Keep the mix aside for half an hour.
- The salt makes onion loose water and makes the water for the batter.
- Mix gram flour, rice flour and baking soda.
- sieve the mix.
- Add gradually into the onion mix to form a thick batter.
- If the batter is too thick add a bit more water to get the right consistency.
- Heat refined oil in a pan.
- On a medium heat deep fry small portions of onion batter.
- Once the fritters are golden brown in colour take out from the oil.
- Your crispy Vada is ready.
- Serve hot with green chutney.
Tips for vada cooking:
* The salt makes onion loose water and makes the water.
* Sifting flour breaks up lumps and also incorporates air in between flour particles, allowing it to absorb liquid more evenly and mixing with other ingredients in Ulli vada.
More similar kerala snacks:
How to make Ulli Vada | Onion vada recipe
Ingredients
- 4 gram flour basen
- 1 rice flour
- 4 nos red onion
- 1 tsp ginger chopped
- 2 pinch asafoteda
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 curry leaves sprig
- 1 coriander leaves chopped
- 1 green chilli chopped
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
- 1/2 tsp ajowain seeds
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- black salt to taste
Instructions
Instructions to make Ulli vada
- Slice the onions
- In a bowl mix sliced onions, chopped ginger, asafoiteda, turmeric powder, curry leaves, coriander leaves, green chillies, fennel seeds, ajowan seeds and black salt.
- Keep the mix aside for half an hour.
- The salt makes onion loose water and makes the water for the batter.
- Mix gram flour, rice flour and baking soda.
- Seive the mix.
- Add gradually into the onion mix to form a thick batter.
- If the batter is too thick add bit more water to get the right consistincy.
For frying
- Heat refined oil in a pan.
- On a medium heat deep fry small portions of onion batter.
- Once the fritters are golden brown in colour take out from the oil.
- Your crispy Ulli Vada is ready.
- Serve hot with green chutney.
Looks delicious!
Love the special pot you’re using for frying. Need to get one! 🙂
Thank you Ronit. That pot is specially used to make a kind of savory in my province.
What a treat this is! I can picture the cart selling these with garma garam chai. Love that photo showing chai and the ulli vada together! Yum!
Thanks for the rating. Yes so many good memories! Thank you Sandhya.
That is a great treat Sumith, thank you for sharing it and your photography is beyond amazing. Stay safe and healthy
Thanks a lot Cornelia. Hope everything is fine there. Stay safe.
I love this recipe and another use for my curry leaves…Love the video 🙂
Thank you for the compliment Carol.
I’m in love with Indian food! 💖
You will love it more now!
Hi, I tried your recipe today,it came out perfect.Tastes great.Thanks for you recipe!!
Thank you Jayalakshmi for this feedback. I am very sorry for the late reply.
They look yummy, especially in this lockdown period.
Thanks a lot Sandomina.
Yummm
Thank you Saania.
The ulli vada looks so amazing Sumith .The addition of fennel and ajwain must give it a nice flavor.The presentation as always is fabulous . Well done!
Thank you, Nisha for these beautiful words.