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baked maddur vada

Baked Maddur Vada (Oven and Air Fryer)

A crispy, crunchy baked (oven and air fryer) version of the quintessential snack Maddur Vada, a deep fried spicy and super crispy rice flour fritter from the town of Maddur in the southern part of India, mostly enjoyed as a snack with evening tea or coffee!

Course Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine Indian, South Indian
Keyword air fried, baked fritters, maddur vada
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Author Vanitha Bhat

Ingredients

  • ½ cup sliced onions about ½ inch slices
  • 2 green chilies/Serrano peppers finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp chopped curry leaves
  • 2 tsp white sesame seeds
  • 2 tbsp chopped cashew nuts optional
  • 2 tbsp chopped dry coconut optional
  • 1 tsp red chili powder/cayenne pepper powder/Kashmiri red chili powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 ½ tbsp hot oil any odorless oil
  • ½ cup rice flour
  • ¼ cup suji/semolina
  • 2 tbsp maida/all-purpose flour/whole wheat flour/multigrain flour
  • ¼ cup water or as needed
  • Oil for basting the vadas optional

Instructions

  1. In a mixing bowl, add the following ingredients: onions, green chilies, curry leaves, sesame seeds, red chili powder and salt; mix well using your hands to coat the ingredients well.
  2. Set aside for 5 to 7 minutes to allow the moisture from the onions to be released.

  3. After 7 minutes, when the mixture has turned a bit moist, add the rice flour, suji and whole wheat flour (or plain flour) along with 1 ½ tablespoons of hot oil, chopped cashew nuts and chopped dry coconut (these are optional).

  4. Stir and mix using your hands to form crumb like mixture.

  5. Now add ¼ cup water or as needed and mix again thoroughly to form a soft dough; just gather to form a dough; do not knead.

  6. Set aside this for 10 minutes.

TO BAKE IN OVEN:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit or 180 degrees Centigrade .
  2. Oil or grease a baking pan with oil.
  3. Make small balls of the dough.
  4. Between sheets of butter paper or parchment paper, press each dough ball evenly to form a flat disc not too thick and not too thick; using a rolling pin or just the palms or fingers of your hand.
  5. Gently remove and place on baking sheet.
  6. Brush all the vada discs with a bit of oil and bake in preheated oven for 35 to 45 minutes. It all depends upon thickness of the disc, your oven (as each oven is different) etc. So watch out and keep checking around 35 minutes.

TO AIR FRY:

  1. Place flattened discs in air fryer and bake at 350 F or 180 C for 12 to 15 minutes. Flip halfway. Each air fryer is different, so keep checking in between so as not to end up with burnt vadas!
  2. I use a Cosori air fryer and it took me 15 minutes for first batch and 12 minutes for the second.
  3. Once they turn golden brown with light brown edges, remove and cool slightly to let the vadas harden a bit.
  4. Enjoy spicy, crispy, crunchy and delicious south Indian delight Maddur Vadas, not fried but baked or air fried with your evening chai/kapi (coffee) etc.!

Recipe Notes

  • Adjust the amount of spices and chilies according to your taste.
  • Addition of cashew nuts and dry coconut is optional as is the sesame seeds.
  • Instead of cashew nuts, you can stir in chopped peanuts too!
  • For a richer vada, instead of hot oil, use hot ghee or butter; but then it does not remain vegan.
  • Keep an eye on the vadas (baking or air fried versons). Remove when they are golden brown and starting to brown around the edges.
  • I have used a Cosori Air Fryer