Medu Vada is a popular breakfast dish in South India.
It’s made of lentil flour and spices, usually served with chutney or sambar.
But what do you do if you have leftover batter?
Do not let the Medu Vada go to waste.
Here are some ideas on how to use up your leftover batter.
Add it to your morning porridge for extra protein and fiber
The first option to utilize your leftover Medu Vada is to add it to your morning porridge for extra protein and fiber.
Add some vegetables for a nutritious breakfast bowl.
If you are not in the mood for porridge, you can simply add it to your regular cereal or oatmeal.
Combining cereals with lentils will give your body an extra boost of protein and fiber that is highly satisfying and extremely nutritious.
Make Medu Vada pancakes
Why settle for plain fruit when you can have Medu Vada instead? Turn them into delightful Medu Vada pancakes.
You only need 4 ingredients: leftover Medu Vadas, eggs, baking powder, and salt.
Making these pancakes is so easy and quick.
Just mix everything together, fry them up and enjoy warm pancakes maple syrup, or honey on top.
Stuff them with cheese and bake
If you are a cheese lover, then this idea is for you.
Using your leftover plain Medu Vada batter, make some stuffed Medu Vadas by filling them up with grated or crumbled cheese.
Bake them in the oven for 20 minutes and enjoy a crispy golden snack that’s gooey on the inside.
These Medu Vadas can be enjoyed as they are topped with ghee or butter, but if you want to kick things up a notch, drizzle some honey or maple syrup on top after baking.
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Make Medu Vada French fries
Almost everyone loves French fries, especially children.
But what about those days where one just wants to consume fries that are not deep-fried.
Why even bother with baking?
Well, you can have your favorite Medu Vada French fries.
All you need is a few potatoes and leftover plain Medu Vadas.
Cut the potatoes into long strips or wedges.
Coat them in flour mixed with salt and any spices of your choice (I recommend turmeric).
Then bake them until golden brown for about 20 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
As an alternative, you can also coat them in melted butter before baking to achieve that extra golden color on top.
Serve it as papadum
If you want something quick and easy then this idea is for you too.
Rice flour makes a great base for many dishes, including papadum.
The rice flour soaks up the liquid, which then hardens into a crispy disk that can be flavored with spices or veggies of choice before baking.
Mix it with yogurt or milk for a healthy snack dip
You can also use the Medu Vada batter as a base for a thick yogurt smoothie or drink it on its own with milk.
If you have some leftover vegetables, you can even add them to your sambar or Medu Vada batter to make an instant breakfast dal.
Use it as a stuffing for vegetables or patties
It’s usually a good idea to use up what you have in the kitchen, especially when there are leftovers that will go bad if not used.
A great way to do this is by using your leftover Medu Vada batter to make stuffed vegetables instead of buying frozen pre-made ones.
You can choose to fill the vegetables with Medu Vada batter or think outside the box and use a different Indian dal.
If you want something a little more unconventional, you can also make Medu Vada patties.
Freeze the batter for later use
If you don’t have enough time right now to use up your leftover Medu Vada batter or think that you will make them again soon, then put the extra batter in the freezer.
Freezing it can help save time if you need to use them later.
You can also freeze most Indian snacks such as papadum or pakoras for future use.
Serve with chutney or as an appetizer at your next dinner party
If you’re feeling extra creative, then why not turn Medu Vadas into an appetizer for your next dinner party? You can serve up bite-sized Medu Vadas as a mezze or side dish to go along with your main course.
Try experimenting with different spices and herbs until you come across something unique that your guests will enjoy.
Make Medu Vada salad
Last but not least, why not make Medu Vada salad? This is definitely an acquired taste for many, but I guarantee this will become your favorite fast food dish.
You can pre-make these and store them in the refrigerator for days to come.
You only need vegetables like carrots, cucumbers, and lettuce to make one delicious salad bowl full of crunchy goodness (and protein).
For extra flavor, top it off with some honey mustard dressing.
Can Medu Vada batter be stored?
Yes, you can store the batter in the fridge to use later.
How long can we keep Medu Vada batter in the fridge?
The batter can be stored for up to 2 days, but it is best to keep it in the fridge until you are ready to add the onions and fry them.
If you do add more water while grinding the batter, it will not yield as many Vadas as if you had used an Indian grinder.
What do I do if Medu Vada batter is watery?
If your Medu Vada batter is watery, you can fix it by adding gram flour and mixing well.
This will make the batter thicker and easier to work with.
You can also use this solution for channa dal Vadas or masala Vadas.
Can you keep Medu Vada batter in the fridge overnight?
Yes, you can store the Medu Vada batter in the fridge for 2 days.
However, be sure to add chopped curry leaves, crushed black peppercorns, cumin seeds, chopped coconut pieces, chopped green chilies, and salt into the batter before mixing.
How do you reheat Medu Vada in the oven?
To reheat, bake in a preheated oven at 450 degrees Fahrenheit or 230 degrees Celsius for 6-8 minutes until crispy.
Is Medu Vada healthy?
Yes, Medu Vada is healthy food.
It contains lentils, which are a good source of protein and nutrients.
However, it is not recommended to have Medu Vada for breakfast, as it may not provide enough energy for the day.
Try having it as an afternoon snack instead. (source)
Why is my Medu Vada not crispy?
Sometimes the Vadas are not crispy because the oil is cooled down or if too much urad dal (lentils) is used.
The batter can also become feather-light and can soak up a lot of oil.
So make sure you do not overuse urad dal, don’t grind them for too long, and cook them in hot oil. (source)
Conclusion
So there you have it.
A few different ways to use up your leftover Medu Vada batter.
I’m sure you can think of even more ways to get creative with this versatile Indian snack.
So go ahead and try out some of these recipes and let us know how they turn out.
Who knows, you might just come up with the next big thing in Indian cuisine.
