Ulundu Wadei
Ulundu Vadai (Medu Vadai)
Also known as Urad Dal Fritter
Ulundu vadai, also written ulundu wadei, is a savoury, doughnut-shaped fritter made from soaked and ground urad dal (ulundu, black gram), spiced with onion, green chilli, curry leaves and crushed pepper, then deep-fried until the outside crisps and the middle goes light and fluffy. You'll also hear it called medu vadai or just urad dal fritter. It's a Sri Lankan tea-time and breakfast short eat, the kind you want warm with coconut chutney, dhal or sambar and a strong cup of tea.
Crisp, golden, doughnut-shaped urad dal fritters, the tea-time short eat that shatters on the outside and stays pillow-soft within.
- Total time
- 35 min
- 20 min prep · 15 min cook
- Serves
- 4 people
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spice level
- Medium
- Country help
- USA · UK · AU · CA substitutes included
CeylonCooking
ceyloncooking.com/recipes/ulundu-vadai
Ulundu Vadai (Ulundu Wadei)
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Nutrition
Estimated values, per serving.
About This Dish
At a Sri Lankan home or roadside boutique at tea time, the ulundu vadai is the one with the hole in the middle. You soak ulundu (urad dal, black gram) until plump, grind it into a thick, fluffy batter, then season it with onion, green chilli, curry leaves and a good crack of black pepper. Shape small rings, lower them into hot oil and each one puffs, browns deeply and turns crisp at the edge, soft as a cloud inside. The name gives the game away: in Tamil 'medu' means soft, so medu vadai is literally the soft vadai.
Vadai sits among the Sri Lankan short eats, the savoury snacks that fill bakery cases and tea stalls next to cutlets, rolls and patties. There are a few types in the family, from the lentil-and-chilli parippu vadai to fish and prawn versions, but ulundu vadai is the soft, ring-shaped classic you can also eat at breakfast. It travels well to temple offerings, festivals and gatherings, and because the batter is just dal, aromatics and salt, it's naturally vegetarian and vegan, which has kept it on devotional and everyday tables for generations.
Sri Lanka shares this fritter with South India, where it's a breakfast plate regular next to idli and dosai, dipped in sambar and coconut chutney. The heritage is shared, but the Sri Lankan version has its own accent: a generous hand with curry leaves, the warmth of crushed black pepper, and a habit of eating it not just at breakfast but at four o'clock with milk tea. Sometimes whole black peppercorns or a little ginger go in, and on the island it's as likely to sit beside dhal as sambar.
The difference between a great vadai and a heavy, oil-logged one comes down to the batter and the frying. The dal has to be ground thick and airy, not loose, and beaten so it traps air and floats. Over-soaked dal or a watery, over-blended batter gives you a fritter that drinks oil and sits like a stone instead of crisping fast and staying fluffy. Get the batter right and the oil hot, and stopping at one is the hard part.
What Is Urad Dal, Ulundu and Black Gram?
Urad dal, ulundu and black gram are three names for one pulse, the small bean that gives this vadai its body and lift. 'Ulundu' is the Tamil name used in Sri Lanka, 'urad dal' is the common South Asian name, and 'black gram' is the English. The whole bean has a dark, almost black skin, but for vadai you usually use the skinned, split version, which is creamy white. Soak and grind it, and it takes on a slightly sticky, aerating quality that makes the batter trap air and puff up. That's exactly why it's the base for vadai, idli and dosai rather than a curry lentil.
It's also a genuinely nourishing pulse: high in plant protein and fibre, rich in iron, folate and potassium, and naturally gluten-free. That protein and fibre is why a couple of vadai with chutney feels satisfying, not empty. The one thing to know is the magic is in the grind and the soak, not the cooking. Under-soak and it will not grind smooth. Over-soak and the batter goes watery and the fritters turn greasy. Treated right, ulundu is one of the most rewarding pulses in the South Asian pantry.
What It Should Taste Like
The crust is deep-golden and crackling, giving way to a light, fluffy, savoury interior fragrant with curry leaves, green chilli and crushed black pepper. Not heavy or oily, but airy and moreish, made for eating warm and dunked in coconut chutney, dhal or sambar.
Ingredients
This recipe makes 4 servings. Change the number and every amount below updates with it. Substitutes for hard-to-find items are in the sidebar.
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Batter
- Urad dal (ulundu, skinned and split)soaked for 2-3 hours, no longer1 cup
- Salt¾ tsp
- Cold wateronly as much as needed to grind2-4 tbsp
Aromatics
- Onionvery finely chopped1 small
- Green chilliesfinely chopped2
- Curry leaveschopped1 sprig
- Gingergrated, optional1 tsp
- Black peppercornscoarsely crushed, or whole½ tsp
- Cumin seedsoptional½ tsp
Frying
- Oilfor deep-frying
Method
Follow these 6 steps. Each one explains not just what to do, but why it matters.
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- 01
Soak the Urad Dal
Rinse the urad dal until the water runs clear, then soak it in plenty of cold water for 2 to 3 hours, no longer. Drain it well in a sieve before grinding.
The soak is the foundation of a fluffy vadai, and the timing matters more than almost anything else. The dal needs to swell and soften so it grinds to a smooth, light batter, but soak it too long, overnight or all day, and it gets waterlogged. Waterlogged dal grinds into a loose, wet batter that won't hold its shape and drinks oil as it fries. Two to three hours is the sweet spot. Drain it thoroughly so you control exactly how much water goes back in.
Tip: Press the drained dal in the sieve to squeeze out any clinging water. The drier it starts, the less water you need and the fluffier the result.
- 02
Grind to a Thick, Fluffy Batter
Grind the drained dal to a smooth, thick, fluffy paste, adding only a tablespoon of cold water at a time, just enough to keep the blades moving. Stop while the batter is still stiff, not runny.
This is where the vadai is won or lost. You're aiming for a batter the texture of thick whipped potato that holds a peak, not a pourable one. Add water grudgingly: every extra splash makes the batter looser and the fritters oilier and flatter. Grinding in short bursts and scraping down keeps the mixture from heating up and going thin. A wet grinder or a sturdy blender both work, but go slow and keep it thick.
Tip: Test the batter by dropping a small ball into a glass of water. If it floats, the batter is light enough and aerated. If it sinks, grind and beat it a little more.
- 03
Beat in Air
Tip the batter into a bowl and beat it hard with your hand or a spoon for a minute or two, in one direction, until it looks paler and feels lighter and fluffier.
Beating is the secret step most people skip, and it's what makes the inside soft and airy rather than dense. Whipping the batter folds in air, the same way beating egg whites does, so the vadai puffs up when it hits the hot oil. You'll feel the batter become lighter and see it lighten in colour as you go. This is also why the float test works: a well-beaten batter is buoyant.
Tip: Beating just before frying gives the best lift. If the batter sits too long it loses some air, so beat it again briefly if needed.
- 04
Add the Aromatics
Stir in the finely chopped onion, green chilli, curry leaves, grated ginger, crushed pepper and cumin, along with the salt, mixing just until evenly combined.
Add the aromatics at the very end, right before you shape the vadai. Don't put them in the grinding stage. Salt and onion both pull out water as they sit, and a watery batter is harder to shape and ends up oil-logged. Chop everything nice and fine so the rings hold together and cook evenly; big chunks of onion create weak spots that break apart in the hot oil. The pepper and curry leaves are the heart of the Sri Lankan flavour, so don't be shy with them.
Tip: If the batter has loosened from the added moisture, don't reach for water. A spoon of rice flour will firm it back up if anything.
- 05
Shape the Ring and Its Hole
Wet your hand, take a lime-sized ball of batter, flatten it gently on your wet palm or a wet square of plastic, and poke a hole through the centre with a wet thumb to get that doughnut shape.
The hole isn't just for looks. It lets the heat reach the middle so the vadai cooks through and stays light, instead of staying raw and doughy in the centre. Wet hands are essential: the sticky batter clings to dry skin and tears. Work gently and keep the ring fairly thick. Too thin and it crisps before the inside cooks. Too thick and the centre stays soft. A small square of wet banana leaf or plastic makes shaping easier if hand-shaping feels fiddly.
Tip: Shape each vadai right before it goes into the oil, not a whole tray ahead. The soft batter loses its shape and air if it sits.
- 06
Deep-Fry Until Golden and Crisp
Heat the oil to medium-hot and slide the vadai in gently, a few at a time. Fry, turning once, until they're deep golden and crisp on both sides, about 3 to 4 minutes, then lift them out and drain on paper. Serve warm.
Oil temperature decides everything at this stage. Too cool and the vadai sits and soaks up oil, turning greasy and heavy. Too hot and the outside browns before the inside is cooked, leaving a doughy centre. Medium-hot is right: a small drop of batter should rise to the surface steadily with a lively sizzle, not violently and not sluggishly. Fry in small batches so the oil stays hot and the rings have room to puff and brown evenly.
Tip: Test with one vadai first. It should sizzle steadily, float, and take 3 to 4 minutes to colour. Then adjust the heat before frying the rest.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Over-soaking the dal. The batter turns watery and the vadai soak up oil instead of crisping.
- Adding too much water while grinding. You get a loose batter that won't hold a ring shape.
- Skipping the beating step. The inside comes out dense instead of light and fluffy.
- Salting and adding onion too early. It draws out water and loosens the batter before frying.
- Frying in oil that's too cool. That's the single biggest cause of greasy, heavy vadai.
Serving Ideas
- Warm with coconut chutney and a strong cup of Sri Lankan milk tea. The classic tea-time pairing.
- For breakfast alongside idli and dosai, dunked in sambar.
- With a bowl of creamy dhal curry for a more filling plate.
- With lunu miris or pol sambol for a sharp, spicy contrast.
Building a whole plate around it? Start from our sri lankan party menu menu, which sets out what to cook alongside it and in what order.
Storage and Make-Ahead
Best eaten warm and fresh, within an hour or two, when the crust is at its crispest. Cooked vadai keep a day refrigerated and crisp up again in a hot oven or air fryer. Avoid the microwave, which makes them soft and chewy. The batter is best ground and fried the same day, as it loosens and ferments slightly if it sits. A few hours in the fridge is fine, though.
Two Ways to Cook It
I'd grind the soaked dal in a blender with the bare minimum of water. Keep the seasoning simple: onion, chilli, curry leaves and pepper. Shape the rings on a wet square of plastic, then shallow-fry them in a couple of centimetres of oil, turning, until golden.
If you have a wet grinder, use it. Grind the urad dal to a light, airy batter, then beat it by hand until it floats. Season generously with curry leaves, crushed pepper and a little ginger. Shape each ring by hand with the traditional hole, and deep-fry in batches for the crispest shell and softest centre.
Lighter and Healthier Version
Vadai is a deep-fried treat, sure, but the batter is just dal, aromatics and salt, so it's already protein-rich and naturally vegan. You can lighten the frying without losing the crisp shell and fluffy centre.
Air-Fry Them (Paniyaram Style)
Brush the shaped batter lightly with oil and air-fry at 180C/360F for about 12 to 15 minutes, turning once, until golden. Fair warning: they come out denser than deep-fried, more like a paniyaram than a classic ring, but they use a fraction of the oil.
Use an Appe or Paniyaram Pan
Spoon the batter into the greased wells of an appe (paddu) pan and cook over medium heat, turning, until golden on both sides. You get little fried-tasting dumplings on a teaspoon of oil instead of a deep fry.
Keep the Batter Thick and Well Drained
A thick, well-drained, well-beaten batter absorbs far less oil even when deep-fried, so good technique is itself the biggest health win here.
Drain Thoroughly
Don't skip the draining. Lift each vadai onto a rack or plenty of paper and let it drain well so excess oil runs off while the crust is still hot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ulundu vadai is a savoury, doughnut-shaped Sri Lankan fritter made from soaked and ground urad dal (ulundu, or black gram), spiced with onion, green chilli, curry leaves and pepper. It's deep-fried until crisp outside and fluffy inside. It's a popular tea-time and breakfast short eat, usually eaten warm with coconut chutney, dhal or sambar.
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