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Dahi Vada
Dahi vada is a very popular type of chaat in India. It is made of vada (flour dumplings) marinated in a thick dahi (yogurt).
Prep Time
1 hr
Cook Time
45 mins
Resting Time
6 hrs
Servings:
50
pieces
Calories:
25 kcal
Course:
Main Course, Appetizer
Cuisine:
Indian
Ingredients
For the dough
- 1 cup urad dal , Indian shelled black lentils
- ¾ teaspoon green chili Serrano or Thai type, chopped
- ¾ tablespoon ginger chopped fresh
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 pinch asafoetida
- ⅓ cup water (or more)
- 18 cashews , chopped
- 1 tablespoon raisins chopped
- salt
Other ingredients
- 2½ cups dahi cold, thick
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon chaat masala
- 1 teaspoon cumin ground
- 3 tablespoons cilantro fresh, chopped leaves
- pomegranate seeds a few
- vegetable oil , for frying
For the tamarind chutney
- 5 oz. tamarind seedless
- 2 cups water
- 8 tablespoons jaggery
- ½ teaspoon ginger powdered
- ¼ teaspoon red chili powder
- 2 pinches fennel powder
- 1 pinch asafoetida
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- rock salt
- 1 teaspoon neutral cooking oil generic cooking oil
- cilantro for fresh cilantro chutney
- cilantro leaves, large bunch, fresh
- 1 teaspoon dry mango powder
- 1 garlic minced, large clove
- 1 teaspoon green chili Serrano type, chopped
- 1 cumin ground
- salt
- 3 tablespoons water
Equipment
- food processor
- Slotted spoon
Instructions
Tamarind chutney
- Place the tamarind in a bowl and pour the water over it.
- Leave to soak for 6 hours.
- Once soaked, with the hands, squeeze the tamarind pulp into the bowl, then strain the pulp and set aside.
- Heat the oil in a small, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium to high heat. Lower the heat and add the cumin seeds and crackle them.
- Add the powdered ginger, fennel, red pepper, and asafoetida. Stir and add the drained tamarind pulp.
- Cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the jaggery and salt and simmer for 5 minutes over low to medium-low heat. The mixture should thicken. Let cool.
Cup of Yum
Green cilantro chutney
- Mix all the necessary ingredients for the coriander chutney with the water.
- Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Batter
- Rinse the lentils 5 times with clear water.
- Soak the lentils in plenty of water for 6 hours.
- Drain well and pour the lentils into a food processor.
- Add chopped green chili, chopped fresh ginger, cumin seeds, asafoetida and salt.
- While starting to mix, add the water gradually. Mix well until you obtain a thick or medium-thick fluid batter.
- Transfer the batter to a bowl and stir vigorously for 5 minutes to aerate it and make it lighter.
- Add chopped raisins and cashews.
- Mix well and set aside.
Frying
- Heat a large volume of oil in a deep skillet.
- When the oil becomes medium hot (about 350 F / 170°C), add teaspoons of batter to the oil.
- When the balls of batter become lightly browned on the bottom and on the sides, turn them over.
- Fry the vadas until they turn golden and crispy.
- Drain with a slotted spoon and place them on absorbent paper.
- Do not overload the pan with balls of dough. Adding too much will lower the temperature of the oil and, as a result, they will be too oily.
Dahi vada
- While the vadas are still warm, plunge them into a large bowl of water at room temperature and let them soak for 15 minutes.
- In another bowl, add water. Wait 2 to 3 minutes and while the vada is still hot, place it in water. Soak for 12 to 15 minutes.
- Take each vada, and gently press between the two palms to remove most of the water.
- Place the vadas in a deep serving dish.
- Whisk the cold dahi until smooth.
- Pour the dahi over the vadas, evenly, covering them.
- Garnish with green cilantro chutney and tamarind chutney.
- Sprinkle a few pinches of red chili, cumin, chaat masala and rock salt.
- Garnish with cilantro leaves and pomegranate seeds.
- Serve the dahi vada immediately or refrigerate it for a few hours before serving.