Dahi Bhalle :) Have Some Chaat!

The delicious Dahi vada or Dahi bhalle is a popular Chaat food of northern states of U.P. & Punjab. It is a perfect snack for parties or other celebratory occasions. Dahi bhalle is prepared by soaking vadas in creamy yogurt (dahi) and garnishing the mixture with tamarind chutney and spices.

Different cultures have different variations of dressing the vadas. For example, some people garnish them by putting sev or namkeen, papdi, green chutney, pomegranate, boiled potatoes and boiled chick peas on top of the creamy yogurt. Basically you could do the dressing as per your tastes and preferences. I like to keep it simple with only yogurt, tamarind chutney, spices and coriander leaves :). Detailed procedure and ingredients required for this recipe are discussed below.

Making Dahi Vada seems difficult but it is not actually. To help yourself and to make recipe easy, buy tamarind chutney and yogurt from market. (If you want to make chutney at home, refer “sharing is caring” below)

Cuisine: Indian Course: Snack Preparation time : 8 hrs Cooking time: 10-15 min each batch Serving: 20 (Pcs)

INGREDIENTS AND INITIAL PREPARATION:-

For Vada making:
Urad daal/split black gram lentils: 2 cup or 500 gm (washed & soaked in water)
Water- 1-2 tbsp (for grinding the soaked & drained lentils)
Green chillies: 3-4 (chopped)
Ginger: ½ inch (grated)
Raisins : 15-20

For Frying and Soaking:
Cooking oil for deep fry
A bowl of water mixed with a pinch of salt for soaking fried vadas

For Dressing:
Yogurt : 2 cup or 450 gm (whisk with some water till it turns creamy)
Tamarind Chutney: 2-3 tbsp (buy or make at home)
Salt: 1 tsp or to taste
Sugar powder: a pinch
Black salt: ½ tsp
Cumin powder : 1 teaspoon
Red chilly powder: ½ tsp
Chaat Masala: ½ tsp
Cilantro : 3 – 4 strands (chopped)

RECIPE IN A NUTSHELL:
Preparing vadas: Soak clean and washed urad daal/lentils for 6-7 hours or overnight. Drain water and skin from soaked lentils and grind them to thick paste with 1-2 tbsp water. Take out the paste in a large bowl and whisk it further for 10-15 mins (hand whisk or electric whisk). Rest the paste for 10 mins.

Frying vadas: Take a spoonful of paste, stuff it with ginger, green chillies, and raisins, make a ball and place it in an oil filled pan. Fry all the remaining paste this way on medium flame till they become golden in color. Take them out directly in a bowl filled with water and a little salt. Let the vadas soak in water for 10-12 mins and then take them out, one at a time, and gently squeeze with your hands so that the excess water oozes out. Keep vadas aside.

Dressing vadas: Take fresh yogurt in a Bowl, whisk it creamy by adding 20-30 ml of water. If you see any lumps, you may strain the curd with a fine sieve. Add 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp of sugar powder to the curd. Mix them well. Dip all the Vadas in the curd. Add tamarind chutney on top of the curd, sprinkle black salt, red chilly powder, cumin powder, chaat masala and coriander leaves.

Tips: You could store vadas in refrigerator in an airtight box for 4-5 days. Whenever you want to eat, just dress it accordingly and serve.

STEP BY STEP RECIPE WITH PHOTOS:

Soak washed and clean urad lentils for 6-7 hours or overnight. Drain water with lentil’s skin and grind them to make a thick paste by adding 1 tbsp of water. The paste should not be runny.
Take out the paste in a large bowl and whisk anti-clock wise further for 10-15 mins (hand whisk or electric whisk). Further whisk gives fluffiness and softness. Rest the paste for 10 mins.
Take a spoonful paste of lentils. Fill some grated ginger, chopped green chillies, and raisins in the middle and make a ball as shown in the picture below.
On a medium flame, deep-fry all lentils-paste stuffed with above ingredients till it turns to golden in color. Transfer each fried ball directly to a large bowl filled with water and a little salt. Let all the vadas soak in water for 10-15 mins. Meanwhile fry another batch of lentil-paste.
Take out soaked vadas from the water and gently squeeze each vada with your hands so that the excess water oozes out. Keep them aside. Repeat the process with all fried vadas.
Take fresh yogurt in a Bowl, whisk it to creamy by adding 20-30 ml of water. If you see any lumps, you may strain the curd through a fine sieve. Add 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp of sugar powder in it. Mix it well.
Dip all Vadas in the creamy curd. Place each in a serving disc and pour remaining curd onto it. Add tamarind Chutney over it.
Sprinkle Salt, Red chilly powder, Cumin powder, Chaat Masala and Coriander leaves or cilantro. (as per your taste or quantities given above)

Treat Yourself And Your Family With This Classic Chaat!!

Bhalle Balle!

Sharing is caring :

Urad daal – is a split black gram. You can buy this and the rest of the ingredients at your local Indian grocery store.
Whisking or hand blending the lentil paste after grinding is a very important step. It gives fluffiness to the vadas. Don’t skip it.
If you see any lumps in the curd, you may strain them through a fine sieve. It gives curd a very important creamy texture.
You could store fried vadas in refrigerator in an airtight box for 4 days. Whenever you want to eat, just dress them up with yogurt, tamarind chutney, spices and coriander leaves.
You may add more chutney and spices if you like.
You could make Tamarind chutney at home: Soak tamarind in water for 3-4 hour. Mash tamarind nicely in the same water. Strain tamarind through a sieve and keep tamarind water aside. Heat a sauce pan over medium flame. Add tamarind water, jaggery, salt and cumin seed. Stir until ingredients are completely dissolved. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until thickened to a point that it’s slightly syrupy, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool for 10 minutes. Use immediately or transfer to an airtight container and store in refrigerator for up to 1 month.
Below is a one picture recipe:

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