Vada (food) - Varieties

Varieties

The main vada types are:

• Uddina vade (Kannada ಉದ್ದಿನ ವಡೆ), Ullundhu vada (Tamil: உளுந்து வடை; Malayalam: ഉഴുന്നു വട Uzhunnu vada), Medhu vada, made with Urad dal (black gram) flour. This vada is shaped like a doughnut, with a hole in the middle (i.e. an approximate torus). It is the most common vada type throughout North and South India.
• 'Masala Vade' (Kannada) 'Masala Vada' (Telugu) 'Paruppu vadai' (Tamil: பருப்பு வடை; Malayalam: പരിപ്പ് വട). A dal vada whose main ingredient is toor dal. It is made with the whole lentils and is shaped roughly like a flying saucer. This type of vada is also called aamai vadai (Tamil ஆமை வடை, or "turtle" vadai) in Tamil Nadu.

Other types of vada are:

• Maddur vade (Kannada: ಮದ್ದೂರು ವಡೆ) is a type of onion vada unique to the state of Karnataka. This is typically larger than other vada types, flat, crispy (to the point of breaking when flexed) and having no hole in the middle.
• Ambode, made from 'split chickpeas without the seed coat' i.e. 'kadale bele' in Kannada, 'chana dal' in Hindi.
• Mosaru Vade(Kannada:ಮೊಸರು ವಡೆ) Dahi Vada (दही वडा- Hindi), made by serving the vada in a mix of yogurt and spices).
• EruLLi bajji (Kannada:'ಈರುಳ್ಳಿ ಬಜ್ಜಿ’) (Vengaaya vadai (Tamil:'வெங்காய வடை')(Hindi:'Pyaz vada'; Malayalam:'Uli vada'), made with onion. It is roughly round-shaped, and may or may not have a hole in the middle.
• Masala vada, a softer less crisp vada.
• Rava vada, vada made of semolina.
• Bonda, or Batata vada, made with potatoes, garlic and spices coated with lentil paste and fried; this form is used in vada pav. In some regions, a Bonda is considered a distinct snack food, and is not held to be a type of vada.
• Sabudana vada is another variety of vada popular in Maharashtra, made from Pearl Sago.
• Thavala vada, a vada made with different types of lentils.
• Keerai Vada (Spinach Vada) is made with spinach-type leaf vegetables along with lentils.
• Vada pav, A vada served in a bun (known as a pav) with chutney is known as a vada pav, a common street food in Maharashtra, especially in Bombay.
• Keema Vada, A vada made from minced meat, typically smaller and more crisp than other vada types with no hole in the middle.

Bhajani Cha Vada: Vada made from a flour made from Bajri, Jawar, Wheat, Rice, Channa Dal, Cumin, Coriander Seeds Etc. A speciality of Maharashtra, very nutritious too: