vada

Vada is a term with more than one meaning in Indian English. It most commonly refers to a family of savory fried snacks from South Indian cuisine, and it also denotes a town and taluka in Palghar district, Maharashtra, India. The spelling vadai is common in Tamil and other Dravidian languages. The word has other, less common uses as a place name or surname in some contexts.

Vada as a snack refers to a fried, dough-based patty or fritter, often with a hole in the center. The most familiar form is medu vada, whose batter is made by soaking, grinding, and whipping urad dal (split black gram) and then deep-frying the batter into crisp, ring-shaped fritters. Variants may use other legumes or add ingredients such as onions, curry leaves, and spices. Vadas are typically served hot with sambar and coconut chutney and are eaten for breakfast, as a tea-time snack, or as part of festive meals. They are especially associated with Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh, though variants appear across India and in Indian diaspora communities.

Vada in Maharashtra refers to a town and taluka in Palghar district, located north of Mumbai. The area includes rural and semi-urban settlements and supports agriculture and small-scale industry. Vada is connected by road and rail to surrounding urban centers and serves as a local commercial hub in the region.