Medu vada is a doughnut-shaped fritter that's crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The name comes from the Kannada words medu, which means "soft", and vada, which means "crispy Indian fritters". Vada, vadai, wada, bara, or bora is a category of savoury fried snacks native to India. Vadas can be described variously as fritters, cutlets, or dumplings. Black lentils, the main ingredient of medu vadas, are a rich source of protein, Vitamin B, iron, folic acid, calcium, magnesium and potassium. Besides, when you make them at home, you eliminate the harmful trans-fat and cut down on the saturated fat content. Medu vada are traditional South Indian fritters made with urad dal (black lentils), spices and curry leaves. “Medu” is a Kannada word meaning “Soft” and “Vada” are “crispy Indian fritters”. So medu vada, also sometimes simply mentioned as “VADA” are essentially soft from inside yet crisp on the outside.