Dahi Vada
Dahi Vadas, are one of the easiest Indian appetizers that can be prepared in advance and served to a crowd. It is made with lentils, topped with some sweetened yogurt and assortment of spices are sprinkled along with tamarind chutney. It is a type of chaat.
Ingredients
- 1 cup split urad Dal
- 1/2 cup yellow split moong dal
- 1 inch piece ginger
- 1-2 green chilies
- 1 tsp roasted cumin seeds
- 1/8 tsp baking soda
- Salt to taste
- Oil for frying
- 3 cups plain yogurt whisked
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tsp sugar
- 3 tbsp tamarind date chutney
- ½ - 1 tsp red chili powder
- ½-1 tsp roasted cumin powder
- 1/4 - 1/2 tsp chaat masala powder optional
- 2 tbsp cilantro chopped
- 3 tbsp pomegranate arils
- 1 cup Boondi its deep-fried tiny balls of chickpea flour available at Indian Groceries optional
Instructions
Soaking lentils and batter
- Wash both lentils thoroughly under running water and then soak it for at least 4-6 hours or overnight. Drain off the excess water and blend the lentils along with green chilies, ginger and cumin seeds in a food processor until smooth. Do not add water. The lentils soak a lot of water and that should be enough to blend. Make a thick paste/batter.
- Add salt to the batter and mix well. When you are ready to fry only then add the baking soda. Beat or whisk the batter for about 5 minutes until it feels fluffy. It helps in making vadas soft.
Frying Vadas
- In a pot on medium high, pre heat oil for deep frying.
- Once the oil is hot, drop golf ball sized batter using a spoon and fry them until light golden. Do not be tempted to fry them on high heat, they will cook on the outside and remain undone in inside. Finish cooking until all the batter is used up.
- Remove them on absorbent paper to drain off excess oil.
- Take a huge mixing bowl with warm water and soak these fried balls or vadas in water for at least 10-20 minutes until they soak up water and become spongy.
- After they have been soaking in the water, remove them and squeeze water out of them by pressing them between your palms one at a time. Discard the leftover water from the bowl. They should be completely soft and not be still crispy. They will be flattened from the round shape. Leave them aside.
- In a big mixing bowl, take yogurt, sugar and salt. Whisk everything and make it smooth.
Assembly
- There are two ways this can be served. In big platter with rimmed edges or individually.
- In a platter, arrange the vadas side by side in a single layer, pour some of the yogurt all over the vadas. They should be completely covered with yogurt.
- Drizzle some date tamarind chutney, sprinkle red chili powder, cumin powder and chaat masala. Sprinkle some boondi and pomegranate arils as well. Garnish with cilantro and serve.
- For individual serving in small disposable cups, follow same process but place one or two vadas.
Notes
- Ideally served cold or at room temperature. I like to assemble everything and leave it in the fridge, and then add the toppings or garnishes just before serving.
- Sprinkle little bit of the spices on top of the yogurt, leave rest on the side for people to add more to their liking.
- If you want to serve it South Indian style- they make a vaghar or temper mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafetida in in hot oil and then add that tempering on top of the yogurt.
- Some people also add mint-cilantro chutney.
- If your batter becomes too runny, then you can add ¼ cup rice flour. It helps in binding the batter. Only if it becomes too runny. Make sure to drain excess water while grinding the lentils to avoid runny batter.
- Interestingly, vadas freeze very well. Once you squeeze out the water from fried soaked vadas, place them in an airtight container and freeze them.