DAHI VADA / DAHI BHALLA

Dahi vada is the North Inadian dahi bhalla recipe.Dahi bhalla are slightly different from dahi vada. In dahi bhalla papdi bhalle, papadi [fried flour crispies],boiled potato cubes and cooked chickpeas are added which add different textures, taste and flavour. Both dahi vada and dahi bhalla are popular North Indian snacks as well as street food. They can be served as starter dish.  Deep fried dumplings which are soaked in water. Those soften vadas are served with yogurt, meethi chutney and green chutney. [sweet and spicy chutneys]. To get a good soft urad dal vadas, remember to soak the lentils overnight. In South Indian version, the curd/yogurt is lightly sweetened and then tempered.  Dahi vadas are a craze at home and I do make them at times as they require some preparation work to be done before hand…like making both the spicy green chutney and sweet tamarind chutney, preparing the vadas, etc.

INGREDIENTS:

Coriander Green Chutney

Sweet Tamrind Chutney [for recipes check the chutney coloumn in my blog]

For Vada-

1 Cup Urad Dal

Salt as required

¼ teaspoon Baking Soda

2 Green Chillies

Water for grinding

Oil for frying

Yogurt mixture-

2 to 3 Cups Plain yogurt

1 teaspoon Roasted Cumin Powder

1 teaspoon Red Chilli Powder

Salt to taste

METHOD:

 To make Vadas-

STEP 1 – Wash urad dal under running cold water till water runs clear. Soak it in enough water for at least 4-5 hours.

STEP 2 – During the soaking time they will get bigger in size and will get softer.

STEP 3 – For making yogurt mixture.Take yogurt in a bowl. Make sure to use chilled yogurt. If yogurt is not chilled then make few hours earlier and chill in the fridge.

STEP 4 – Add red chilli powder,

roasted cumin powder

and salt.

STEP 5 – Whisk it till it gets smooth. Keep refrigerated till needed.

STEP 6 – Prepare both chutneys. Or you can make them a day before and keep in the refrigerator.

STEP 7 – Drain the soaking water completely.

STEP 8 – Add that to the blender or grinder.

STEP 9 – Make smooth paste out of it. Use ½ cup of water while grinding the dal. Not more or not less, exactly ½ cup water to get the perfect batter consistency.

STEP 10 – Remove it to a bowl.

STEP 11 – Check the right batter consistency. Add chopped green chillies, salt and baking soda to the batter.

STEP 15 – Now using a spatula or by hand, beat the batter for good 5 minutes. This should be done very vigorously. You will get good arm exercise.

STEP 16 – Beat it till batter gets light and fluffy. This is important step to make the soft and fluffy vadas.

STEP 17 – Now check the right batter consistency. Take water in a small bowl. Drop a teaspoon of batter into the water. It should be floating on top. If it sinks to the bottom means batter has thin consistency. Adjust it by adding couple of tablespoon of semolina (rava or sooji).

STEP 18 – Now heat the oil in a pan on medium heat for frying the vadas.

 Once hot, drop the vadas using two spoons or by hand.

How I do: lightly wet your hand with water, take about 2 tablespoon  of batter and carefully slide into the hot oil using your thumb.

STEP 19 – Fry the vada on medium heat. Keep moving to get even cooking and browning.

STEP 20 – Fry till vadas are crispy and golden brown in colour. You will have to fry them in batches.

STEP 21 – Remove it to a paper towel lined plate.

STEP 22 – Take water in a large vessel or bowl. Add the warm vada into the water.

STEP 23 – Keep frying and adding them into the water. Let it soak for 30-40 minutes.

STEP 24 – You will notice that the vada changes its colour. Also they will increase in size slightly.

STEP 25 – After that we need to squeeze the excess water. Very lightly press it between your palm. Do it gently otherwise vada will break.

STEP 26 – Arrange the squeezed vadas into a bowl.

STEP 27 – Add  yogurt, all the vada should be covered with yogurt.

STEP 28 – Drizzle green coriander chutney.

STEP 29 – Also drizzle tamarind chutney.

STEP 30 – Lastly sprinkle some red chilli powder and roasted cumin powder. 

Serve the dahi  vada immediately. Or you can refrigerate it.

So when are you giving this dahi vada a try??

Do let me know in comments, if you have made it. How do you like it.

  NOTES: * To make a no garlic no onion version dahi vada, just skip the garlic in the green coriander chutney.
                * The leftover chutney can be refrigerated and served with other Indian snacks.

                * For step by step chutney recipe, just have a look at this tamarind meethi chutney and green coriander chutney recipe posts.