The Original Vadai – Crispy Prawns and Ikan Bilis on Fluffy Fitters

When you think of vadai, you might think of the few popular stalls that are always present at the pasar malams (night markets). Although pasar malams are just a distant memory now, it doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy this savoury snack anymore!

The Original Vadai has always been one of the popular stalls at pasar malams. Thankfully, Mr Suriyah, the second-generation owner, found a few permanent spaces to keep on selling their tasty vadai along with other sinful deep-fried snacks like Chicken Gizzard ($2).

It’s hard to miss the brightly-lit signboard and the long queue stemming from the stall. They are the first and only vadai shop in Singapore to be Halal-Certified(Golden Mile Food Centre and Joo Chiat outlets only)!

If you’re unsure of what to get, be sure to check out their Instagram page for some mouthwatering images and recommendations. I got the signature Prawn Vadai ($1/pc), Ikan Bilis Vadai ($1/pc) and Dhal Vadai (3pcs for $2.50). I wanted to try the Chocolate Vadai ($4.50/serving) as well, but unfortunately, it was out of stock that day.

First up, the signature prawn vadai. The prawn that was “stuck” onto the vadai was actually quite huge. The prawn was surprisingly still juicy and fresh even though it was being deep-fried with the dough.

As someone who hates deshelling prawns, I was really happy to finally be able to eat the whole crustacean without having to worry about deshelling. I love how the shells added a crunch to the texture of the fritter that was pillowy soft. The dough had a chewy texture and it could very well pass off as a savoury doughnut.

I didn’t expect the ikan bilis to stick around on the vadai, but it did, and the vadai just tasted so delightful! The other pleasantly surprising thing about this was the fact that the ikan bilis was still crisp and crunchy even after I brought it back to the office!

The ikan bilis had a distinctive fragrance that was accentuated by the dough. I enjoyed the hint of sweetness in the aftertaste. It was a genius pairing in my opinion. Who knew that ikan bilis would taste this good with fried dough!

Dhal (or Dal) are dried and halved bean-looking things that look like lentils. This version of vadai is possibly an acquired taste because of the sheer number of spices that goes into it.

The Original Vadai’s rendition is rather dry inside. It had a grainy texture, with bits and pieces of Dal lending a crunch. I felt like I was eating a huge bean that was soaked in spices before being deep-fried. If you enjoy masala-anything, this vadai would be a must-try for you! All vadai from The Original Vadai comes with a few fresh green chilli padis, so be sure to have it with your vadai too!

In conclusion, these fried fritters are absolutely mouthwatering and I think that it’s quite an underrated snack in Singapore. I hope that more locals would try this and expand their knowledge of savoury snacks!

MissTamChiak.com made an anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

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