KUALA LUMPUR — Is it a vadai, a prawn fritter or a doughnut?

Netizens in Malaysia are divided on whether the vadai sold at The Original Vadai is actually an Indian vadai or Malay prawn fritter cucur udang instead.

The vadai chain, which has been operating in Singapore since the late 1980s, made its Malaysia debut in Bukit Bintang in Kuala Lumpur last Sunday (Oct 1) to much fanfare. 

A video by news site Malaysian Speaks featured a selection of vadai sold by the shop, including unusual flavours such as chocolate and cheese.

The TikTok video posted on Tuesday subsequently went viral, receiving 286,200 views and 637 comments in just two days.

Netizens from Malaysia, however, disputed whether the vadai being sold was “authentic vadai”. 

Vadai, a savoury fritter that originated from South India, is made of legumes or potatoes with a blend of spices and herbs, fried till golden brown. 

What triggered the online debate was The Original Vadai’s prawn vadai, which is said to be a fusion recipe different from those found in India.

Some netizens argue that this makes it cucur udang instead, the Malay version of prawn fritters, which is made with a batter of flour, eggs, water, and spices, mixed with chopped or whole prawns.

@malaysianspeaks Ngilu tengok orang gigit cili, tapi lepas try, sumpah min nak repeat lagi lepas ni kat @theoriginalvadaimy #theoriginalvadaimy #fyp #bestfoodinkl ♬ original sound – Malaysian Speaks