Recipe Cooked, Photographed and Written by Praveena
PrepTime:15 mins CookTime:10 mins Cuisine: Indian
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Preparing any savoury snack / appetiser sure needs some prep work, like soaking few ingredients for few hours and later grinding them. Especially, South Indian Savoury items like, Medu Vada, Perugu Vada / Dahi Vada, Chana Pakoda, Punugulu, Alasanda Vada, etc.
On contrary of all these, this recipe of Maddur Vada (Air fryer / Baked Snack), needs just few mins for prepping, only to chop the veggies and mix the ingredients.

Table of Contents:
- What is Vada?
- Other Vada / Nugget recipes on my blog:
- What is Maddur Vada?
- Possible Alterations for the recipe, ‘Maddur Vada’:
- Other recipes from my blog:
- Full Video from my You Tube Channel:
- Step Wise Pics Procedure for ‘Maddur Vada / Baked Savoury Snack’:
- Prep Work (common for both methods):
- Stove Top Method Maddur Vada:
- Air Fryer Method Maddur Vada:
- Oven Baked Method Maddur Vada: (shall attach pics later)
- Tips:
- Result:
- Ingredients, Accessories on ‘AMAZON’ to ‘SHOP’:
- Recipe Card & Print:
What is Vada?
Vada is a South Indian style, savoury appetiser / snack recipe, usually made with different lentils and beans. Few variety of these vada(s) need fermenting the batter, while few do not.
Vada is so one versatile recipe, that it can be had for breakfast (or) as a starter in a meal (or) as a wholesome dinner. It is kids friendly too.

Other Vada / Nugget recipes on my blog:
- Black-eyed beans Nuggets / Alasanda Vada (Air-Fryer, Stove-top)
- Medu Vada / Minapa Gaarelu
- Mung Dal Nuggets / Pesarapappu Vada (Air-Fryer, Stove Top)
- Masala Vada / Lentil Masala Nuggets (Stove Top, Air Fryer, Oven)
- Red Kidney Beans Nuggets / Rajma – Masala Vada / Fritters

What is Maddur Vada?
Maddur Vada, is a savoury fritter / nugget style snack, which is generally served with tea / evening snack. It is first originated from the place called as Maddur in Karnataka, a Southern state of India.
Maddur is a town which lies between the two cities Bengaluru & Mangalore, and this snack is sold in trains commuting between these 2.
It was prior to my marriage that I did get to travel in Karnataka along with my parents & siblings. Hence, I did taste these savoury snacks during the trip.

Possible Alterations for the recipe, ‘Maddur Vada’:
Additional ingredient: One more ingredient that can be added is, dried coconut flakes / desiccated coconut (2 tablespoons).
To make this recipe Gluten free: Just replace the upma rava / semolina with Chickpea flour / besan and the plain flour / maida with a gluten free plain flour available in the market.
Eliminate Onion & Garlic: If you would like the recipe to be free from onion & garlic, just eliminate them. But, adding chopped onions gives the crunchy taste and lovely flavour.
Instead of chopped onions You could add finely chopped white cabbage too.
To shape the Vada: A tortilla press or a banana leaf can be used for shaping the vada / nuggets.
Nut free Option: To make this recipe nut free, completely avoid the cashew nuts.
Oil Free / WFPB Option: Avoid adding ghee / butter while making the dough, and even while air-frying avoid using oil spray.

Other recipes from my blog:
Before starting to cook, don’t forget to see the Tips mentioned at the end.
Appetiser recipes collection⇒ Starters / Snacks
Air-fryer recipes collection⇒ Air – Fryer Recipes
Low Carb recipes collection⇒ Weight Loss Food / Low Carb Recipes
Related Posts:
- Chickpea Fritters / Chana Pakoda (Air Fryer, Stove top)
- Cabbage & Masoor Dal / Red Lentil Pakoda
- Biyyam pindi Upma / Rice Flour Savoury Porridge
- Rava Upma / Semolina Savoury Porridge
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Ingredients:
- Rice Flour / Biyyappindi – 1 cup
- Upma Rava / Semolina – ½ cup
- Maida / Plain Flour – ½ cup
- Finely Chopped Onion – 1 cup
- Chopped Fresh Ginger – 2 tablespoons
- Fresh Green Chillies – 3 (chopped)
- Curry Leaves – 10 (chopped)
- Fresh Coriander Leaves – 4 tablespoons (chopped)
- Dry Red Chilli Flakes – 1 tablespoon
- Jeera / Whole Cumin – 1 tablespoon
- Chopped Cashew Nuts – ¼ cup
- Salt – 1 teaspoon
- Ghee / Butter / Oil – 1 tablespoon (to mix)
- Water – ½ cup
- Cooking Oil – 2 cups (for stove top method)
- ” – 2 tablespoon (for air fryer method)
Special Ingredients:
- Dry Red Chilli Flakes
- Chopped Cashew Nuts
- Curry Leaves
Full Video from my You Tube Channel:
Step Wise Pics Procedure for ‘Maddur Vada / Baked Savoury Snack’:
Prep Work (common for both methods):





Stove Top Method Maddur Vada:


Air Fryer Method Maddur Vada:



Oven Baked Method Maddur Vada: (shall attach pics later)
- Pre-heat the oven at 180°C / 350ºF for 5 mins.
- Take a baking tray, spread the parchment paper throughout the tray.
- Place the nuggets / fritters one beside another, leaving at least ¼ inch space in between.
- Brush each of the nuggets with oil, on both sides.
- Place the tray in the middle rack, and bake at 200ºC / 390ºF for 12 to 15 mins. No Need to reverse.
- Using a wooden ladle, remove them from the baking sheet.
- Repeat the same for others. Done!

Tips:
- Adjust the salt & spice as per your taste.
- Bear in mind, not to pout the water whole at once into the mix, but add little by little only.
- Even before frying make the whole of dough into small balls, and shape 2 or 3 at a time, and fry them simultaneously.
- See that the thickness of the vada / patties should be same as that of poori.
- The oil for deep frying must be perfectly hot, to test this just drop a small blob of batter into the oil and check .
- For air-fryer method, you might stop in between, reverse them give a light oil spray and continue to air-fry for rest of the time.
- And after air-frying, brush the vada(s) with cooking oil immediately so that they turn light brown in colour.
- Storage: You can make the dough well before, wrap in a cling film (or) put it in zip lock bag (or) in an air tight container. Take it out and use it as it is.
- Once fried / baked, these Maddur Vada (Air fryer / Baked Snack), cool them to room temperature only then store them.
- The fried nuggets / vada stay good for up to 3 days at room temperature (or) can be stored in an air tight container in a cool dry place.
Result:
- These, Maddur Vada (Air fryer / Baked Snack), are crispy throughout but a bit soft in the centre in every bite.
- When compared to the deep fried vada(s), the air-fried ones are a bit less brown in colour but not at all different in taste. See the pic below.
- We (my kids & I) had them as it is, without any condiment.
- While my husband accompanied with a cup of hot tea in the evening, which he absolutely relished.

Ingredients, Accessories on ‘AMAZON’ to ‘SHOP’:
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Fudco Cashew Nuts, 500 gRecipe Card & Print:

Maddur Vada (Stove top, Air fryer, Oven Baked)
Equipment
- Wide Mixing Bowl
- Deep Frying Pan for stove-top method
- Air-Fryer for air-fryer method
- Baking tray for Oven Baked Method
- Small Brush (to apply oil)
Ingredients
- 1 cup Rice Flour / Biyyappindi
- ½ cup Upma Rava / Semolina
- ½ cup Maida / Plain Flour
- 1 tablespoon Ghee / Butter / Oil (to mix)
- ½ cup Water
- 1 cup Finely Chopped Onion
- 2 tablespoons Chopped Fresh Ginger
- 3 count Fresh Green Chillies (chopped)
- 10 count Curry Leaves (chopped)
- 4 tablespoons Fresh Coriander Leaves (chopped)
- 1 tablespoon Dry Red Chilli Flakes
- 1 tablespoon Jeera / Whole Cumin
- ¼ cup Chopped Cashew Nuts
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 2 cups Cooking Oil (for stove top method)
- 2 tablespoon " (for air fryer method
Instructions
PREP WORK:
- Gather all the ingredients at one place, and finish off the chopping as shown.
- Transfer all the chopped ingredients into a mixing bowl. Measure the flours and take them into same bowl. Add all the other ingredients, except the water, ghee, oil.
- Now, add the ghee / butter, mix up all the ingredients in the vessel using your bear hands.
- Now, add water little by little, and keep mixing everything and make a tight dough as shown.
- Make the whole dough into small balls, put a medium piece of parchment paper / butter paper on kitchen platform, apply few drops of oil. Press the small ball against this paper, make a circular vada / nugget / fritter. Repeat the same for the rest of the dough balls.
STOVE TOP METHOD:
- Put a frying pan, with enough of cooking oil (for deep frying), on stove top under high flame. When the oil is hot enough, gently drop the vada into the oil, through the wall of the vessel/pan.
- Fry them on one side for 2-3 mins and then very gently flip them back to fry, until they turn golden brown on both sides. Transfer the fried vada(s) onto a tray spread with kitchen towel. Done!
AIR FRYER METHOD:
- Brush throughout the base of air-fryer with oil / use an oil-spray. Place the nugget patties over it. Apply oil on them. Close the air-fryer, set the timer to 10 mins, at 200ºC / 390ºF.
- After 10 mins, take the air-fried vada(s) out and spray / apply oil on the hot vada(s). Done!{Optionally, after 5 mins, reverse them give a light oil spray and continue to air-fry for 5 more mins.}
OVEN BAKED METHOD:
- Pre-heat the oven at 180°C / 350ºF for 5 mins.
- Take a baking tray, spread the parchment paper throughout the tray.Place the nuggets / fritters one beside another, leaving at least ¼ inch space in between.Brush each of the nuggets with oil, on both sides.
- Place the tray in the middle rack, and bake at 200ºC / 390ºF for 12 to 15 mins. No Need to reverse.Using a wooden ladle, remove them from the baking sheet. Repeat the same for others. Done!
Notes
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Made these Maddur Vada today as having curry, I oven baked them, very spicy. I did not have curry leaves but used bay leaves. They are going to be an ongoing item to make. Love them. Thanks
Hi Janet! 🙂Thank you so much for trying my recipe and sharing your lovely feedback too. Next time, you might adjust the spice as per your taste. Thats great to know!! Thanks again!