Dahi Vada Recipe (Authentic)
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4.8
105 reviews
Excellent
Dahi Vada Recipe (Authentic)
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Dahi Vada is a traditional Indian snack featuring soft lentil fritters soaked in creamy yogurt and topped with tangy tamarind and fresh coriander chutneys. The recipe calls for urad dal lentils blended into a smooth batter, fried at the correct temperature for a fluffy texture, then soaked in spiced yogurt. The balance of smooth yogurt, sweet-sour tamarind chutney, and fresh herbaceous coriander chutney creates a harmonious blend of flavors and textures, ideal for serving as an appetizer or festive treat.
Description
Dahi Vada Recipe (Authentic) begins with soaking urad dal lentils and grinding them with spices and nuts into a smooth batter. Precise frying at around 180 to 190°C produces soft, airy fritters. These are soaked in chilled, spiced yogurt to absorb the creamy tang. The dish is garnished with two distinct chutneys: a sweet and slightly spicy tamarind chutney cooked with jaggery and aromatics, and a fresh coriander chutney blended with green chilies and mango powder. Together, these components deliver a well-rounded savory, sweet, and tangy profile with a creamy, melt-in-the-mouth texture. The addition of pomegranate arils and chopped coriander provides bursts of freshness and color. Often served chilled, dahi vada works well for gatherings or as a cooling snack on warm days. Using fresh homemade yogurt and properly aerating the batter are key to great texture. Leftover chutneys can be stored refrigerated for days to weeks, enhancing future snacks or meals. Variations include omitting garlic or using vegan yogurt substitutes for dietary needs. Scaling the recipe up or down is straightforward for different serving sizes.
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Ingredients
For vada batter
- 1 cup urad dal (heaped) - 200 grams
- ½ teaspoon green chili or serrano or thai chili or 1 green chilli, chopped
- 1 teaspoon ginger or 1 inch ginger, chopped
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
- ¼ to ½ cup water or add as needed
- 1 tablespoon raisins - chopped
- 12 to 15 cashews - chopped
- salt as required - or ⅔ teaspoon food grade edible rock salt (sendha namak)
Other ingredients
- 2.5 cups curd (yogurt) - chilled
- ½ to 1 teaspoon chaat masala or as required
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon red chili powder or cayenne, add as needed
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder roasted
- black salt - add as required, optional
- ¼ cup pomegranate arils - optional
- 2 tablespoons Coriander leaves cilantro, chopped
For tamarind chutney
- ½ cup tamarind - tightly packed (seedless)
- 1.75 cups water
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger saunth
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon red chili powder or cayenne
- 7 to 8 tablespoons jaggery or sugar, add as required - adjust as per your taste
- rock salt or black salt or regular salt as required, edible and food grade
- 1 teaspoon neutral cooking oil generic cooking oil
For coriander chutney
- 2 cups Coriander leaves (cilantro)
- ½ to 1 teaspoon dry mango powder or 1 to 1.5 teaspoons dried pomegranate seeds
- ½ teaspoon garlic or 1 to 2 small to medium garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 teaspoon green chilies or serrano pepper, chopped
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds or cumin powder
- salt as needed
- 2 to 3 tablespoons water or as required
Instructions
Making sweet chutney
- Soak tamarind in water overnight or for 4 to 5 hours in a small bowl or pan.
- With your hands, squeeze the pulp from the tamarind in the same bowl or pan. Strain the pulp and set aside.
- Heat oil in a small pan. Lower the heat and add cumin seeds and let them crackle.
- Add ginger powder, red chili powder, asafoetida.
- Stir and add the strained tamarind pulp. Cook for 2 to 3 mins.
- Add the jaggery and salt and simmer for 4 to 5 mins more on low to medium-low heat. The mixture would thicken. Let the tamarind chutney mixture cool.
- When cooled, store the tamarind chutney in an air-tight dry jar or container.
Making green coriander chutney
- Blend or grind all the ingredients mentioned under the green chutney list with water.
- Remove and set aside in a small bowl.
Making batter
- First pick and then rinse the lentils for 3 to 4 times in water.
- Soak the lentils in enough water overnight or for 4 to 5 hours.
- Drain all the water and add the lentils in a blender or mixer-grinder.
- Add chopped green chilies, chopped ginger, cumin seeds, asafoetida and salt.
- Add water in parts and grind to a smooth thick or medium-thick flowing batter.
- Take the ground batter in a bowl. Stir the batter briskly for a couple of minutes. This aerates the batter making it more light and fluffy.
- Add the chopped raisins and cashews. Combine well and set aside.
Deep frying vada
- Heat a kadai or pan with oil for deep frying.
- When the oil becomes medium hot, add spoonfuls of the batter in the oil.
- Don't be in a hurry to turn them.
- When you see the vada becoming pale golden from the base and sides, you can turn them.
- Fry the vada until they become golden and crisp. Place on paper towels.
Making dahi vada
- In another bowl take water. Wait for 2 to 3 minutes and while the vada are still hot, place the vada in the water. Soak for 12 to 15 minutes.
- The vada will release some of the oil and absorb water increasing a bit in size with a color change.
- Take each vada and flatten and press between your palms to remove the water.
- Place these vada in a serving bowl or tray.
- Whisk curd (yogurt) until smooth. Pour the curd over the vada evenly all over covering them.
- Top with the green chutney and tamarind chutney as needed.
- Sprinkle a few pinches of red chili powder or cayenne, roasted cumin powder, chaat masala and black salt.
- Garnish with pomegranate arils and coriander leaves.
Serving suggestions
- Serve dahi vada straightway. Or you can refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving.
Storage
- Wrap the dish in plastic cling wrap or transfer to a container with a lid, and keep leftover dahi vada in the refrigerator overnight or for a day only. Any longer and the taste of the yogurt changes.
- The lentil dumplings can be made in advance and frozen before assembling the complete dish. Make the fritters per the recipe instructions, soak in water, and thoroughly squeeze out the water.
- Then place in an airtight container and keep in the freezer for up to 1 to 2 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge, and then continue making the complete dahi vada recipe.
Notes
- Maintain oil temperature between 180-190°C for frying to ensure fluffy, non-oily vadas.
- Do not overcrowd the frying pan, as that lowers oil temperature and results in greasier fritters.
- Soak urad dal overnight or 4-5 hours for best soft texture after frying.
- Aerate the batter by whisking well before frying to incorporate air for fluffiness.
- Use fresh yogurt, avoiding sour or overly tangy types for the soaking step.
- Both tamarind and coriander chutneys can be made days ahead; store tamarind chutney up to a month in the fridge.
- Optionally, skip garlic in the coriander chutney for a no-garlic version.
- Vegan variations are possible using plant-based yogurt alternatives.
- Adjust chutney quantities and spiciness to personal taste.
- Recipe easily scales up or down for parties or smaller servings.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Serving
1dahi vada
Calories
44kcal
(2%)
Carbohydrates
5g
(2%)
Protein
1g
(2%)
Fat
2g
(3%)
Saturated Fat
1g
(5%)
Cholesterol
1mg
(0%)
Sodium
75mg
(3%)
Potassium
32mg
(1%)
Fiber
1g
(4%)
Sugar
3g
(6%)
Vitamin A
53IU
(1%)
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)
1mg
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
1mg
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
1mg
Vitamin B6
1mg
Vitamin B12
1µg
(42%)
Vitamin C
1mg
(1%)
Vitamin D
1µg
(5%)
Vitamin E
1mg
Vitamin K
2µg
Calcium
18mg
(2%)
Vitamin B9 (Folate)
1µg
Iron
1mg
(6%)
Magnesium
4mg
(1%)
Phosphorus
14mg
Zinc
1mg
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 60Dahi Vada
Amount Per Serving
Calories 44 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1dahi vada | |
| Calories | 44kcal | 2% |
| Carbohydrates | 5g | 2% |
| Protein | 1g | 2% |
| Fat | 2g | 3% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 1mg | 0% |
| Sodium | 75mg | 3% |
| Potassium | 32mg | 1% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 3g | 6% |
| Vitamin A | 53IU | 1% |
| Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B3 (Niacin) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B6 | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B12 | 1µg | 42% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Vitamin D | 1µg | 5% |
| Vitamin E | 1mg | |
| Vitamin K | 2µg | |
| Calcium | 18mg | 2% |
| Vitamin B9 (Folate) | 1µg | |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
| Magnesium | 4mg | 1% |
| Phosphorus | 14mg | |
| Zinc | 1mg |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.8
105 reviews
Excellent
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