Thayir Vadai | Curd Vada
Love the North Indian style Dahi Bhalla or Dahi Vada? Then, here’s a variation called as Thayir Vadai, which is the South Indian cousin of this yummy street food snack. Although, this famous one from South India is also known as Curd Vada, it tastes very different than its counterparts from North India or Delhi. Mainly as sweet chutney and green chutney are not added. Thus the taste of thayir vadai is spiced and sour.
A classic Thayir Vadai has the vadas or vadai of black gram or urad dal topped with a curd-spiced coconut paste mixture, which is tempered with mustard seeds, curry leaves and dried red chili.
Making thayir vadai does take some time as the vadas have to be fried before assembling. The rest of the method is easy.
For making vadas, do use fresh urad dal and not old or aged urad dal. With fresh urad dal the vadas have soft texture. Whereas aged urad dal will give a hard to dense texture in the vadas.
The dahi vada we have here in the Udupi restaurants has sugar in the dahi (curd). I will try to add this restaurant style recipe of thayir vadai too.
The thayir vadai shared here is more of a Tamilian style preparation and does not use sugar. But if you like some sweetness in the curd, then you can add sugar.
Thayir vadai can be served as snack or as a starter before a South Indian meal.
How to make Thayir Vadai
Soaking and grinding urad dal vada:
1. Rinse 1 cup of urad dal a couple of times in fresh water. Then soak the urad dal in 2 cups water overnight or for at least 4 to 5 hours.
2. Later drain all the soaked water.
3. Add the urad dal in a grinder jar. Add salt as required.
4. Grind to a smooth fluffy batter. If possible, then do not add any water while grinding. if not able to grind, then add 2 to 3 tablespoons water.
if the batter has a medium consistency, then its difficult to shape the vadas. So the batter has to be thick.
5. Take the ground batter in a bowl. Add 1 green chili (finely chopped), 2 teaspoons of chopped curry leaves and 1 teaspoon of finely chopped ginger.
6. Briskly and vigorously stir the batter for a minute or two with a spoon or spatula. This makes the batter fluffy and light. As a result you get softer and porous vadas. However the vadas should not be very light or fluffy as then they break in curd.
Frying medu vada for thayir vadai
7. Heat oil for deep frying in a kadai or pan. Check a small portion of the batter and if it comes gradually and steadily, the vadas can be fried.
8. Now wet your palms with water and take some batter in your right palm. With the help of the left hand, shape the batter first.
9. Then make a hole in the center with a thumb.
10. Gently slid the doughnut shaped vadai into medium hot oil. If you are unable to make the doughnut shaped vadas, then use a spoon and drop the batter in medium hot oil.
11. Make other vadas this way and then add them to the kadai. You can fry the number of vadas depending on the size of your kadai.
12. When the base is light golden, turn them over with a slotted spoon and continue to fry the vadas.
13. Turn over a couple of times and fry the vadas till they are crisp and golden. Continue to fry the vadas in batches till crisp and golden. Drain the medu vadas on kitchen paper tissues to remove excess oil.
14. When they are still hot, add the vadas in warm water and let them soak for 15 to 20 minutes. You can even soak the vadas in a thin buttermilk solution.
Making coconut paste:
15. In a small chutney grinder jar, add ¼ cup fresh grated coconut and 1 green chili, roughly chopped.
16. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water and grind to a smooth paste. Keep aside.
Making curd (thayir) mixture
17. In another bowl, take 2 cups of curd. Add salt as per taste.
18. With a wired whisk mix and whip the curd till smooth.
19. Now add the ground coconut+green chilli paste.
20. Mix again very well. Check the taste and add more salt if required.
Tempering curd mixture for thayir vadai
21. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small pan or tadka pan. Then add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds and let them crackle.
22. When the mustard seeds finish crackling, then add 6 to 7 curry leaves (chopped or whole) and 1 dry red chili (broken and seeds removed).
Mix well and fry for a few seconds till the red chilies change color. Do ensure that the red chilies do not burn.
23. Now add the tempering mixture in the curd.
24. Mix very well.
Assembling thayir vadai
25. After soaking the vadas will soften, increase a bit in size as well as their color will change.
26. Press each soaked vada between your palms to remove water. Gently press or else you might end up breaking them. press all the soaked vadas this way and arrange them in a platter, tray or bowl.
27. Pour the tempered curd (thayir) on the vadas. Allow the vadas to absorb the curd for a minimum of 30 minutes or for a few hours. If keeping for 3 to 4 hours, then cover and refrigerate. You can also serve immediately if you want.
28. Before serving, sprinkle some red chili powder on top.
29. Then sprinkle some finely chopped coriander leaves. You can also add some masala boondi on top. Grated carrots and roasted cumin powder can also be added.
30. Serve thayir vadai as a snack or as a starter before any South Indian meal. The leftovers can be refrigerated.
If you are looking for more Snacks recipes then do check:
Step by Step Photo Guide Above
Ingredients
for vada batter
- 1 cup urad dal
- 2 cups water for soaking
- 1 green chili – finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons chopped curry leaves or 7 to 8 curry leaves, chopped
- 1 inch ginger , finely chopped or 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
- salt as required
other ingredients for thayir vadai
- oil for deep frying, as required
- warm water for soaking vadas, as required
for coconut paste
- ¼ cup fresh grated coconut
- 1 green chili , roughly chopped
- 2 to 3 tablespoons water for grinding
for curd (thayir) mixture
- 2 cups fresh chilled curd
- salt as required
for tempering thayir vada
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- 6 to 7 curry leaves , chopped or whole
- 1 dry red chili , broken and seeds removed
for garnishing thayir vadai
- 1 to 2 pinches of red chili powder
- 2 to 3 tablespoons finely chopped coriander leaves
Instructions
preparation for vada
- Rinse 1 cup urad dal a couple of times in water. Then soak the urad dal in 2 cups water overnight or for at least 4-5 hours.
- Later drain all the soaked water.
- Add the urad dal in a grinder jar.
- Add salt as required.
- Grind to a smooth fluffy batter. If possible, then do not add any water while grinding. If not able to grind, then add 2 to 3 tablespoons water. If the batter has a medium consistency, then its difficult to shape vadas. So the batter has to be thick.
- Take the ground batter in a bowl. Add 1 green chili (finely chopped), 2 teaspoons chopped curry leaves and 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger.
- Briskly & vigorously stir the batter for a minute or two with a spoon or spatula. This makes the batter fluffy and light. As a result you get softer and porous vadas. However the vadas should not be very light or fluffy as then they break in curd.
frying vadai
- Heat oil for deep frying in a kadai or pan. Check a small portion of the batter and if it comes gradually and steadily, the vadas can be fried.
- Now wet your palms with water and take some batter in your right palm. With the help of the left hand, shape the batter first.
- Then make a hole in the center with a thumb.
- Gently slid the doughnut shaped vadai into medium hot oil. If you are unable to make the doughnut shaped vadas, then use a spoon and drop the batter in medium hot oil.
- Make other vadas this way and then add them to the kadai. You can fry the number of vadas depending on the size of your kadai.
- When the base is light golden, turn over with a slotted spoon and continue to fry the vadas.
- Turn over a couple of times and fry the vadas till they are crisp and golden. Continue to fry the vadas in batches till crisp and golden.
- Drain the medu vadas on kitchen paper tissues to remove excess oil.
- When they are still hot, add the vadas in warm water and let them soak for 15-20 minutes.
making coconut paste
- In a small chutney grinder jar, add ¼ cup fresh grated coconut and 1 green chili, roughly chopped.
- Add 2 to 3 tablespoons water and grind to a smooth paste. Keep aside.
making curd (thayir) mixture
- In another bowl, take 2 cups chilled curd. Add salt as per taste.
- With a wired whisk mix and whip the curd till smooth.
- Now add the ground coconut+green chilli paste.
- Mix again very well. Check the taste and add more salt if required.
tempering curd (thayir) mixture
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in small pan or tadka pan.
- Add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds and let them crackle.
- When the mustard seeds finish crackling, then add 6 to 7 curry leaves, (chopped or whole) and 1 dry red chili (broken and seeds removed). Mix well and fry for a few seconds till the red chilies change color. Do ensure that the red chilies do not burn.
- Now add the tempering mixture in the curd.
- Mix very well.
making thayir vada
- After soaking the vadas will soften, increase a bit in size as well as their color will change.
- Press each soaked vada between your palms to remove water. Gently press or else you might end up breaking them.
- Press all the soaked vadas this way and arrange them in a platter, tray or bowl.
- Pour the tempered curd (thayir) on the vadas. allow the vadas to absorb the curd for minimum of 30 minutes or for a few hours. If keeping for 3 to 4 hours, then cover and refrigerate.
- Before serving, sprinkle some red chili powder on top.
- Then sprinkle some finely chopped coriander leaves. You can also add some masala boondi on top. Grated carrots and roasted cumin powder can also be added.
- Serve thayir vada. Leftover thayir vadai can be refrigerated.
Nutrition
This Thayir Vadai post from the archives first published in September 2017 has been republished and updated on January 2023.
Great recipe. I have a question – is it ok to use sour curd (yogurt) for preparing this dish or the curd has to be totally bland? Appreciate your answer about this. Thanks
Thank you. The curd has to be sour but not overly sour or too tangy to taste. I hope this helps.
Thanks for your response
the hole is made in the middle so that it cooks evenly in the middle also
thanks for the info.
may be because my mom n grandma have always always used a stone grinder, the 45 minute trick works. @ donut shaped vadas… i have seen that in restaurants too but never at someones home… maybe ppl i know.. know that i will bicker about it… :p
even i thought the same. i was thinking about the soaking and grinding part and yes if soaked for more hours, the grinding is easier in a mixie. i have seen the donut shaped vadas in restaurants and in weddings. in the various books i have, they have mentioned making the vadas with a hole. my mom also makes them like donut shaped but her recipe is very different and is like the vadas served in udupi restaurants of mumbai and other parts of maharashtra. could be that the vadas are not made with a hole in some homes as its easier to make vadas without giving it that donut shape, similar to how the north indian dahi vada is made.
apologies for my haste.. you have added coconut n green chilli
yes ???? i have replied to your earlier comment. thanks.
hi dasana… this is not the first blog i am commenting on re thaiyir vadai… unfortunately i dont think any one has heeded attention to my comments.. but i hope you will. my suggestions are very fundamental and come from generations of experience:
1. the biggest mistake is to soak for 4-5 hours. we ( my mom, grandma etc). soak for a maximum of 45- 60 minutes. ideal is 45, n bare minimum is 30. the longer you soak, the more oil is absorbed while frying.
2. the best way to grind is in a stone grinder. i dont have one in Canada but i see the difference.
3. thaiyir vadai in most places does not have a hole. atleast not amongst tamilians or palakkad iyers.
4. when you fry n soak to get the excess oil out.. use a very very diluted buttermilk solution.. that way absorption of curd is better. just dip for 10-15 seconds n gently squeeze.
5. consider grinding some coconut, green chillies, dhaniya n a small piece of ginger n pinch of hing. add that to the curd. not too much.. but just to flavour the curd and give it texture.
try these tricks. i am certain you wont go back on these.
thanks divya for these suggestions and tips. it does help.
1. regarding soaking time. whenever i soak urad dal for less time like even 1 hour, the vadas do not turn out soft. so i do soak them for a longer time. in fact from my experience an overnight soaking gives soft vadas and they do not absorb oil while frying. i have been making urad dal vadas for many years now and never had an oily soaked vada after soaking overnight.
2. agree with the stone grinder. in fact i have a stone grinder and i have seen the difference when ground in stone grinder and a mixer-grinder.
3. from what i have seen and eaten, the thayir vadais have always been donut shaped. even here in the south indian restaurants the thayir vadais are like medu vada.
4. i know about soaking in the buttermilk solution. i forgot to mention in the post. i will add it.
5. the grinding of coconut and green chilies is there in the recipe.
i will give a try with stone ground batter. for ease of use and cleaning i use a mixer-grinder. it also helps when making a small batch. i will also try soaking in buttermilk next time and of course making thayir vadas without the donut shape will be easier.