Dahi Tikhari or Vagharelu Dahi
Dahi Tikhari or Vagharelu dahi is a condiment made by tempering plain yogurt with spices and it’s such an easy, quick and simple recipe. You can enjoy it with anything, but Gujaratis enjoy it most with theplas or dhebra.
Vagharelu Dahi means ‘tempered yogurt’ The process of tempering is very significant in overall Indian cuisine. We temper spices to be added to subjis (curries) or dal or in this case dahi (yogurt) The word Vaghar (Gujarati language), tadka and Chonk in Hindi language means tempering. This process of heating oil or ghee for instance and adding whole and dry spices blooms the properties and they taste better.
Dahi Tikhari is what it is known as Kathiyawad region of Gujarat. Other names for this dish are vagahrelu dahi or tadka dahi etc. This dish can be an accompaniment or a side dish with many other dishes in thali meal.
The flavors are simple but anything with garlic and spices will also taste better.
During summer heat, if you do not feel like cooking this recipe is so perfect. It is also great recipe to add in your roster when you are grocery but have few of these ingredients handy. I hope I convinced you enough to make this dish. It’s super quick and easy too. Yes, if you pair it with thepla or any other type of flatbread. It might not be super quick. Theplas and Dhebra are best pairing with dahi tikhari. I will be sharing dudhi thepla recipe soon until then enjoy this dahi tikhari with plain rotis.
Suggestions
Use best quality of yogurt. I prefer Greek style thick yogurt. Do not use sour yogurt.
Make sure to not burn the garlic. It will spoil the flavor. However, if you do not like garlic, you can leave it out. It does enhance the flavor big time. So, I highly prefer to use it.
To make it gluten free, do not use asafetida.
If your oil gets too hot, wait before you add garlic and dry spices. They can easily burn and ruin the dish.
It taste best served at room temperature.
Dahi Tikhari
Ingredients
- 1 cup Greek yogurt plain
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1/4 tsp mustard seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 3-4 curry leaves
- 1 dry red chili
- a pinch asafetida
- 3 cloves garlic thinly sliced or grated
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ tsp coriander cumin powder optional
- 1 tsp red chili powder or less
- Salt to taste
- Cilantro to garnish or scallions, green garlic etc.
Instructions
- Take plain yogurt in a bowl, add salt and give it a mix. Leave it aside and make the vaghar.
- Heat oil in a pan on medium flame once the oil is hot add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Let them splutter.
- Add curry leaves, dry red chili, hing and garlic. Saute it for a few seconds until the garlic turns slightly brown. Turn off the heat. (My oil was hot enough, so I turned off the flame when I added garlic, it was perfectly cooked).
- Add dry spices like turmeric, red chili powder, cumin coriander powder and mix well.
- Take greek yogurt in a bowl and pour some of the tempering in the yogurt. Mix it well. Reserve remaining to top it off while serving. Garnish with chopped cilantro.
Notes
- Use best quality of yogurt. I prefer Greek style thick yogurt. Do not use sour yogurt.
- Make sure to not burn the garlic. It will spoil the flavor. However, if you do not like garlic, you can leave it out. It does enhance the flavor big time. So, I highly prefer to use it.
- To make it gluten free, do not use asafetida.
- If your oil gets too hot, wait before you add garlic and dry spices. They can easily burn and ruin the dish.
- It taste best served at room temperature.