dahi vada recipe

How to make dahi bda or dahi bhalla :

Both dahi vada and dahi bhalle are popular north indian snacks as well as street food. they can also be served as a starter dish. they are also made during festive time like diwali or holi or any other special occasion. 

To get a good soft urad dal vadas, remember to soak the lentils overnight. grind the batter really well with little water. also remember to use fresh yogurt. i used homemade yogurt. the chutneys can be made at home or brought ready made. you can also make the dahi vadas with just the sweet tamarind chutney and yogurt.

i have mentioned the recipes of both the chutneys below in the recipe details. you can also have a look at the tamarind dates chutney post  and make this one for the dahi vada instead of saunth chutney .

dahi vada recipe details below:

dahi vada recipe

dahi vada recipe - popular north indian street food snack made of lentil dumplings in yogurt , spiced with chutneys and spice powders.

 COURSE snacks, starters

 CUISINE north indian

 PREP TIME 9 hours

 COOK TIME 45 minutes

 TOTAL TIME 9 hours 45 minutes

 SERVINGS 5 to 6

 AUTHOR  Akanksha shukla 

INGREDIENTS (1 cup = 250 ml)

for making vada - makes about 35-38 small vadas

• 1 cup urad dal
• 1 green chili - chopped (hari mirch)
• ½ inch ginger - chopped (adrak)
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
• 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
• 3 tablespoon water for grinding the batter or as required
• ½ tablespoon raisins (kishmish)
• 8 to 9 cashews - chopped (kaju)
• salt as required - i added ⅔ teaspoon rock salt (sendha namak)

other ingredients for dahi vada:

• 2 to 2.25 cups curd (yogurt or dahi) - i made homemade curd made from 500 ml organic milk
• ½ to 1 teaspoon chaat masala or as required
• ¼ to ½ teaspoon red chili powder or as required (lal mirch powder)
• 1 teaspoon roasted cumin powder(bhuna jeera powder)
• black salt or regular salt as required

for tamarind chutney:

• ½ cup seedless tamarind - tightly packed (imli)
• 1.75 cups water
• ½ teaspoon ginger powder (saunth)
• 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
• ¼ teaspoon red chili powder (lal mirch powder)
• 7 to 8 tablespoon jaggery or as required - adjust as per your taste
• rock salt or black salt or regular salt as required
• 1 teaspoon oil

for green chutney:

• 2 cups coriander leaves (dhania patta)
• 1 or 1.5 teaspoon anardana (dry pomegranate seeds) OR ½ to 1 teaspoon amchur powder (dry mango powder)
• ½ tablespoon chopped onion(optional)
• 1 or 2 garlic cloves (lahsun)
• salt as required
• water as required

HOW TO MAKE RECIPE

making saunth or sweet tamarind chutney:

1. soak tamarind in water overnight or for 4-5 hours in a small bowl or pan.
2. with your hands, squeeze the pulp from the tamarind in the same bowl or pan.
3. strain the pulp and keep aside.
4. heat oil in a small pan.
5. lower the flame & add cumin seeds and let them crackle.
6. add ginger powder, red chili powder, asafoetida.
7. stir and add the strained tamarind pulp
8. cook for 2-3 mins.
9. add the jaggery and salt and cook for 4-5 mins more.
10. the mixture would thicken.
11. let the saunth chutney mixture cool.
12. when cooled, store the saunth chutney in an air-tight dry jar or container.

making green chutney:

1. grind all the ingredients mentioned under the green chutney list with little water.
2. remove and keep aside in a small bowl.

making batter for dahi vada:

1. first pick and then rinse the lentils for 3-4 times in water.
2. soak the lentils in enough water overnight or for 4-5 hours.
3. drain and add the lentils in a wet grinder.
4. also add chopped green chilies, chopped ginger, cumin seeds and asafoetida.
5. add water in intervals and grind to a smooth batter.
6. i used about 3 tbsp of water added in intervals while grinding the lentils.
7. take the ground batter in a bowl.
8. stir the batter briskly for a couple of minutes.
9. this makes the batter more light and fluffy.
10. add the raisins and chopped cashews along with salt.
11. stir and keep aside.

frying vada:

1. heat a kadai or pan with oil for deep frying.
2. when the oil becomes medium hot, add spoonfuls of the batter in the oil.
3. don't be in a hurry to turn them.
4. when you see the vadas becoming pale golden from the base and sides, you can turn them.
5. fry the vadas till they become golden and crisp.
6. drain on paper towels.

making dahi vada:

1. in another bowl take water.
2. and add the vadas to the water.
3. soak them for 18-20 minutes.
4. take each vada and flatten and press between your palms to remove excess water.
5. place these vadas in the serving bowl.
6. whisk yogurt till smooth.
7. pour the yogurt over the vadas.
8. top with the green chutney and tamarind chutney as required.
9. sprinkle the red chili powder, roasted cumin powder, chaat masala and black salt.
10. garnish dahi vada with chopped coriander leaves.
11. serve dahi vada immediately or refrigerate and serve later.

RECIPE NOTES

tips for making dahi vada recipe:

1. to make a no onion no garlic version dahi vada, just skip the garlic & onion in the green coriander chutney.
2. the leftover green chutney and tamarind chutney can be refrigerated and served with other indian snacks.
3. for step by step sweet chutney recipe, please have a look at this tamarind chutney recipe post.

how to make north indian dahi vada recipe:

1. soak the urad dal overnight or for at least 4-5 hours. drain them.

2. grind the urad dal, green chilies, ginger, cumin and asafoetida with little water to a smooth fluffy batter.

3. take the ground batter in a bowl. stir in chopped raisins & cashews. optional ingredients and you can just skip them if you want.

4. briskly & vigorously stir the batter for a minute or two with a spoon or spatula. this makes the batter more fluffy and light. as a result you get softer and porous vadas. a pic showing the consistency of the batter. add salt also.

5. heat oil for deep frying. either drop the batter with your hands or with a spoon in medium hot oil. fry the vadas in batches till crisp and golden.

6. drain the vadas on paper towels.

7. when they are still warm, add the vadas in water (at room temperature) and let them soak for 18-20 minutes.

8. you can see from the pic, that the vadas have increased a bit in size as well as their color has changed.

9. press each soaked vada between your palms to remove water. gently press or else you might end up breaking them.

10. press all the soaked vadas this way and keep them aside in a plate.

11. beat the chilled curd/yogurt till smooth.

12. in a large serving bowl, arrange the vadas.

13. pour the beaten curd.

14. pour the green chutney  and sweet tamarind chutney .

17. sprinkle with red chili powder, roasted cumin powder, chaat masala and black salt.

18. garnish dahi vada with coriander leaves & then serve dahi vada immediately or you can refrigerate and then serve them.