Inippu Ulunthu Vadai | Inippu Medhu Vadai Recipe | Inippu Vadai | Sweet Medhu Vada Recipe

Today's recipe is one of the traditional sweet recipe, Inippu Ulunthu Vadai or Sweet Medhu Vada. Inippu vadai is prepared using urad dal/black lentil and sugar combo with cardamom flavor. This sweet vada is one of my favorite sweet,but it is not prepared often like other sweets, my mom makes it only during special occasions or for padaiyal(pooja) or if we have guest at home. But we often buy it from our near by shop and enjoy it for our evening snack. My grandma used to say that dishes prepared using Urad dal are healthy for growing kids especially for girls. She suggest my mom to make Ulunthu kali, uluntham kanji, inippu vadai(with jaggery or karuppati)for me and my sister during the periods days. Ulunthu kali or kanji is good for girls' health and gives energy during those tiring days. These foods are not only healthy, tastes divine too. I will try to share the recipe for Uluntham Kanji sometime soon.

Sweet Medhu Vada can be prepared using powdered Jaggery also and that is called as Vella Vadai. But my mom usually prepare inippu vadai using sugar only. If you haven't tried or tasted this sweet medhu vada just give it a try soon. I am sure you will definitely like it.

Inippu Medhu Vadai Recipe

Prep Time : 2 hours + 15 minutes | Cook Time : 25-30 minutes

Makes 15 medium sized vada

Ingredients

1. Whole Urad Dal   1 cup
2. Sugar   1/2 cup - 3/4 cup*
3. Cardamom 2 or 3no.
4. Salt   a pinch
5. Oil  to deep fry

Method

• Wash and soak urad dal in enough water for 2-3 hours.
• After that drain the excess water and add it to the mixie and along with it add sugar and cardamom and grind it to fine coarse paste without water, if needed just sprinkle little water and try to grind without water.

• Once done, transfer the ground dough to a bowl, add pinch of salt and mix well.
• Now heat oil in a kadai to deep fry, when it is hot turn the heat to medium.
• Slightly wet hand and take a small ball of dough and flatten it lightly and gently drop into the hot oil.

• Cook in medium heat and after 1-2 minutes flip the other side and cook till it urns light golden brown on both side.
• Remove from the hot oil and drain it in paper towel.
• That;s it...Inippu medhu vadai ready. Inippu vadai tastes best after few hours it is made.
• serve with banana.

Notes:
*I used 1/2 cup sugar and that taste was perfect for us.
Making Inippu is little tricky job and mostly it will not come out perfectly in first try, if you add more sugar then the batter will be watery and turns deep brown while frying. If you add less sugar then the vada will not taste sweet and good. And the most important thing is the batter should be thick and slightly coarse in texture.
You can also a pinch of cooking soda or baking soda for extra soft and puffiness. I added this time.
Based on the urad dal quality the vada tastes may differ, if you feel your vadas are bit hard add pinch of soda and sprinkle little water and try it.
The shape of the inippu vadai is usually a disc shaped vada but you can also make hole in the center and make it as regular medhu vada shape.
No need to grind the batter till smooth and fluffy, coarse thick batter is perfect to make inippu vadai.
Instead of sugar, powdered jaggery is also added but jaggery battery turns watery than sugar and also it should be fried with more care and patience to prevent burning.
Adding a pinch of salt is optional but it helps to get the right sweetness.
Always fry the inippu vadai in medium heat, it helps to cook the vada evenly without turning dark.
If you don't like cardamom flavor just skip and add dry ginger powder if desired.