Playing off a newfound appreciation for a wide variety of traditional and innovative chutneys in Australia, this dish is a perfect point of entry to the exciting flavor fusion of Indo-Chinese cuisine. Medu Vada – a naturally gluten free, Indian savory donut – stars as the pillowy, mild-flavored vessel for the sweet, spicy, and savory Schezwan Chutney. Extremely versatile, this sauce can also be enjoyed with breaded chicken and pork cutlets, as a topping for hummus, or mixed into noodle bowls, rice, and pasta dishes.
This recipe is featured as part of the Sauce from Somewhere trend from the 2026 Flavor Forecast.
Ingredients
Procedure
Procedure
- For the Donuts, wash lentils thoroughly and drain. Place in medium bowl with enough ice-cold water to cover. Soak at least 8 hours or overnight. Drain well.
- For the Chutney, place chilies in medium heat-safe bowl. Add enough boiling water to cover. Soak 30 minutes. Drain well. Transfer to blender container. Cover and blend until smooth, adding 1 to 2 tablespoons of water as needed, until mixture resembles a paste.
- Heat sesame oil in medium skillet on medium heat. Add garlic, ginger, peppercorns and celery. Cook, stirring constantly, 2 to 3 minutes. Add onion; continue to cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes or until vegetables are translucent.
- Stir in pureed chili paste, sugar, cumin, salt and pepper. Cook 2 minutes longer, stirring constantly, until fragrant and heated through. Stir in water, mixing well. Cover and cook on medium heat 3 to 4 minutes or until mixture is thickened. Uncover; cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often, until the oil begins to separate from the mixture. Stir in soy sauce, vinegar and ketchup. Cook 2 minutes longer until well mixed and heated through. Transfer to serving bowl. Set aside until ready to serve.
- To prepare the Donuts, place the drained lentils, ginger, salt, baking powder and asafetida in bowl of food processor. Add 2 tablespoons ice-cold water and process about 5 minutes until well blended and smooth, scraping down sides as needed. Process 2 minutes longer until mixture is airy.
- Transfer mixture to bowl of stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Beat 3 to 5 minutes or until mixture has increased in volume. Fold in black peppercorns, cumin seeds, curry leaves and coriander.
- Heat about 3 inches of oil to 350°F in a large deep skillet or saucepot on medium heat. Using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop batter directly into hot oil. Fry about 3 to 4 minutes on each side until golden and crispy. Remove from oil using slotted spoon and transfer to paper towel-lined wire rack to drain. Serve warm Donuts with Sichuan Chutney for dipping.
