Kerala Ulli Vada | Onion Vada

Ulli Vada recipe with step by step pics. Ulli Vada are crisp and crunchy onion fritters which are popular as a street food snack in Kerala.

During our visit to Kerala in one of the hotels we stayed, Ulli Vada used to be one of their regular evening snacks with tea.

The taste and texture of Ulli Vada is different from the regular classic Onion Pakoda.

Onion fritters are a popular tea time snack all over India and they are made in various ways.

Some Regional Variations

1. Classic Onion Pakoda (North Indian style Punjabi Recipe)
2. Kanda Bhaji (Maharashtrian Recipe)
3. Vengaya Bhaji (Onion Rings made South Indian style)
4. Crispy South Indian Onion Fritters (South Indian Style)

Ulli Vada can be served with coconut chutney or green chutney or tomato ketchup or mint chutney.

More Pakora Recipes

• Mirchi Bajji
• Paneer Pakoda
• Palak Pakoda

Making Ulli Vada Batter

1. Peel, rinse and then thinly slice 1 large onion. You will need 1.25 cups thinly sliced onions. Take the sliced onions in a mixing bowl.

2. Add ½ cup besan (gram flour) and 2 tablespoons rice flour.

3. Now add 2 pinches of asafoetida (hing) and ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder.

4. Next add 10 to 12 curry leaves (chopped) and salt as required.

5. Mix very well and keep aside for 15 to 20 minutes.

6. The onions will leaves their juices by this time and the vada mixture will be soft. Mix again. If the batter mixture looks dry, then add a few teaspoons of water and mix well.

Frying

7. Heat oil for deep frying in a pan. When the oil becomes hot, keep the flame to medium and drop spoonfuls of the batter in the oil.

8. Begin to fry onion vada on a medium flame.

9. When one side is light golden, then turn over and fry the other side.

10. Continue to fry till the ulli vada turn crisp and golden.

11. Turn over as required while frying.

12. Once the ulli vada are crisp and golden, remove with a slotted spoon.

13. Place the fried onion vada on kitchen paper towels for extra oil to be absorbed. In a similar way fry the remaining batches of ulli vada.

14. Serve Ulli Vada hot with any chutney of your choice like coconut chutney or pudina chutney or mint coriander chutney.

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Kerala Ulli Vada | Onion Vada

5 from 7 votes

By Dassana Amit

Ulli vada are crisp and crunchy onion fritters. Popular as a street food snack in Kerala.

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Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 40 mins

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Cuisine Indian Street Food, Kerala

Course: Snacks, Starters

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Servings 3

Units

Ingredients

• ▢ 1.25 cups thinly sliced onions or 1 large onion - thinly sliced
• ▢ ½ cup besan (gram flour)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons rice flour (chawal ka atta)
• ▢ 2 pinches asafoetida (hing)
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder (lal mirch powder)
• ▢ 10 to 12 curry leaves, chopped (kadi patta)
• ▢ salt as required
• ▢ oil for deep frying

Instructions

making ulli vada batter

• Peel, rinse and then thinly slice 1 large onion. You will need 1.25 cups thinly sliced onions. Take the sliced onions in a mixing bowl.
• Add ½ cup besan (gram flour) and 2 tablespoons rice flour.
• Now add 2 pinches of asafoetida (hing) and ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder.
• Next add 10 to 12 curry leaves (chopped) and salt as required.
• Mix very well and keep aside for 15 to 20 minutes.
• The onions will leaves their juices by this time and the vada mixture will be soft. Mix again. If the batter mixture looks dry then add a few teaspoons of water and mix well. 

frying ulli vada

• Heat oil for deep frying in a pan. When the oil becomes hot, keep the flame to medium and drop spoonfuls of batter in the oil.
• Begin to fry ulli vada on a medium flame.
• When one side is light golden, then turn over and fry the other side.
• Continue to fry till the vada turn crisp and golden.
• Turn over as required while frying.
• Once the ulli vada are crisp and golden, remove with a slotted spoon.
• Place the fried onion vada on kitchen paper towels for extra oil to be absorbed. In a similar way fry the remaining batches of ulli vada.
• Serve kerala style ulli vada hot with any chutney of your choice.

Notes

• You can add a bit of carom seeds (ajwain) if you want.
• Green chilies can also be added. 
• Some finely chopped ginger can also be added in the batter. 
• Recipe can be halved or doubled. 
• No need to add water while making ulli vada batter. Add water only if the batter mixture looks dry.

Nutrition Info Approximate values

Calories: 556kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 3gFat: 54gSaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 13mgPotassium: 129mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 195IUVitamin C: 73.8mgCalcium: 26mgIron: 0.9mg

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