Top 6 Places To Fix Your Vadai Cravings in Singapore – The Ultimate Vadai List

Vadai (pronounced as va-dey) is one of those savoury snacks that you find in pasar malams. No thanks to Covid-19, we can’t have pasa malams right now, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t get your vadai cravings satisfied. Some of the popular stalls have found permanent homes so their loyal fans can still get their vadai fix. I might not be a hardcore vadai fan but this snack is really addictive! Here are my top picks!

Gina’s Vadai

Gina’s Vadai uses an original recipe that Gina and her late husband, James, came up with. The vadai here is flat and thin compared to most of the vadais that we are familiar with. While you can’t find fluffy vadais here, what you can expect is a crispy vadai and a crunch in every bite.

I had the Original Prawn ($1), Ikan Bilis ($1.50) and the Vegetable Vadai ($1). Other than these three flavours, there are eight types of vadai that you can choose from. Some of these include interesting flavours like Tofu ($1) and Cheese ($2).

Their Ikan Bilis Vadai had some peanuts too(even though they weren’t as crunchy as you’d expect it to be). The prawn vadai which comes with two mini prawns, instead of a large prawn in the centre, deserves a special mention.

The vadai here would be one of my favourites because of its unique texture, and I like the wide selection here. I also love how the vadai was evenly crisp from the edges right to the middle! The special flavours are enticing and I would be back for more.

Golden Briyani… Savoury Vadai…

This stall just opened last November. Interestingly, the owner is a Chinese uncle who’s selling only two types of Indian dishes, with a twist. He incorporates unique elements from Peranakan Cuisine into these dishes.

The uncle shared that his golden briyani has been modified to have more of a Peranakan taste in it, as his mother is a Nyonya who greatly influenced him. As for the vadai, it has always been one of his favourite snacks. He started to experiment with different recipes during Circuit Breaker, and with lots of encouragement from his family, he decided to start selling them.

There are only two types of vadai available — Kosong [plain] ($1) and Prawn ($1.50). The vadais were huge and delicious! The batter had the unique addition of mustard seeds and some spices that lent a hint of saltiness.

I highly recommend the prawn vadai! Not only was it value for money because of its size, but the prawn was fresh and juicy too. The centre was fluffy and chewy and reminded me of butterfly fritters.

Sky Lab Cooked Food

Located in Little India’s renowned Tekka Market and Food Centre, Sky Lab Cooked Food does things in a uniquely different manner. Vadais are usually eaten with either large or small green chilli, but the vadais here are paired with two types of sauces — peppermint chutney or red chilli coconut chutney.

The sotong Vadais ($1 for 2pcs) are thick and round with a hole in the centre, looking like mini savoury doughnuts. They have Masala Vadais ($1 for 2pcs) too. Other than their vadais, they are known for their Samosa (3 for $2).

These vadais have bits and pieces of sotong in them. Although only thin shreds of sotong are embedded in the vadai, they added a tantalising brininess. Having said that, the batter was too thick and doughy for my liking. But this might be something for those of you who prefer dense cakes and fritters.

Their Masala vadai is one of the biggest versions that I’ve seen so far, as most stalls sell it in a much smaller size. The large size and thickness of the vadai did not mean that it is less flavoursome. The masala in there was still strong!

The Original Vadai

The Original Vadai is one of my favourite vadai stalls in Singapore. A complete opposite of the vadais at Gina’s, The Original Vadai’s vadais are soft and chewy, with crispy edges.

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) but it was unavailable while I was there. Oh well. But my favourite is the ikan bilis vadai. It had a distinctive fragrance that was accentuated by the dough. I enjoyed the hint of sweetness in the aftertaste.

They have unique flavours such as Cheese Vadai ($4.50/serving) too. Their Chicken Gizzards are also going for $2 per skewer if you love snacks like these. A fun fact about them is that they are the first vadai stall in Singapore to be Halal Certified, giving peace of mind to their Muslim customers.

Mr Vadai Founder

Another popular vadai stall in the pasar malam scene is Mr Vadai Founder. It’s no doubt that they are popular because the average waiting time is about 15 to 20 minutes here. Other than the usual prawn and ikan bilis vadai, there is a wide variety such as Quail Egg Mini Vadai and Fish Mini Vadai ($4 for 10pcs)!

I had the Original Prawn, Sardine, and Ikan Bilis Vadai(a box of 6 for $5). Mr Vadai Founder also sells other fried delicacies (or munchies, as they call it) like Chicken Gizzard and Chicken Butt($2/stick). Their vadai leans towards the pillowy soft kind inside and out. It was not too crispy, or maybe I just waited too long before I ate it. But anywho, it was one that those who enjoy soggy fries would like.

Other than vadais, they also sell mouthwatering mains such as Briyani with quail eggs. Just in case vadais are not enough for you, check out their mains as they look super enticing!

The Famous Vadai Uncle

The Famous Vadai Uncle has recently moved from Blk 326 in Woodlands to Ang Mo Kio! A hip hip hooray for their fans who live in AMK!

There’s not much of a variety when it comes to the vadais at The Famous Vadai Uncle. On the menu, there’s only Vadai Udang ($2.50 for 3 pcs), Kachang Dhall ($2.50 for 3pcs), Udang Grago ($3 for 10pcs) and Ikan Bilis ($3 for 10pcs). The other snack that you can get here is Chicken Skin ($3/pack).

I got the Vadai Udang (prawn) and Kachang Dhall. The vadai udang was not as soft as I had expected it to be. While it was one of the more crispy vadais on the list, it missed checking the box for a soft pillowy texture.

Having said that, I have to mention that their Kachange Dhall is the best of all the dhall/masala vadais I’ve tried. Not only was it flavourful, but it also was not dry on the inside. They also incorporated large chunks of onions and curry leaves to add texture! Genius move.

Most of the stalls are very active on their Facebook pages, so be sure to follow them there for the latest updates! A gentle health reminder, remember to eat this alluring snack in moderation!! Hopefully seeing how oily it is would scare you a little. Although it is indeed quite irresistible…

What are your top picks from the list? Let us know in the comments below.

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

Let’s build a food community that helps to update the food news in Singapore! Simply comment below if there’s any changes or additional info to the stalls listed above. We will verify and update from our side. Thanks in advance!