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Dahi Vada Recipe (Authentic)
4.8 from 105 votes

Dahi Vada Recipe (Authentic)

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.

Prep Time
8 hrs
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
8 hrs 45 mins
Servings: 60 Dahi Vada
Calories: 44 kcal
Course: Appetizer, Snacks
Cuisine: Indian

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
    Cup of Yum
  1. Soak tamarind in water overnight or for 4 to 5 hours in a small bowl or pan.
  2. With your hands, squeeze the pulp from the tamarind in the same bowl or pan. Strain the pulp and set aside.
  3. Heat oil in a small pan. Lower the heat and add cumin seeds and let them crackle.
  4. Add ginger powder, red chili powder, asafoetida.
  5. Stir and add the strained tamarind pulp. Cook for 2 to 3 mins.
  6. 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.
  7. When cooled, store the tamarind chutney in an air-tight dry jar or container.
Making green coriander chutney
  1. Blend or grind all the ingredients mentioned under the green chutney list with water.
  2. Remove and set aside in a small bowl.
Making batter
  1. First pick and then rinse the lentils for 3 to 4 times in water.
  2. Soak the lentils in enough water overnight or for 4 to 5 hours.
  3. Drain all the water and add the lentils in a blender or mixer-grinder.
  4. Add chopped green chilies, chopped ginger, cumin seeds, asafoetida and salt.
  5. Add water in parts and grind to a smooth thick or medium-thick flowing batter.
  6. 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.
  7. Add the chopped raisins and cashews. Combine well and set aside.
Deep frying vada
  1. Heat a kadai or pan with oil for deep frying.
  2. When the oil becomes medium hot, add spoonfuls of the batter in the oil.
  3. Don't be in a hurry to turn them.
  4. When you see the vada becoming pale golden from the base and sides, you can turn them.
  5. Fry the vada until they become golden and crisp. Place on paper towels.
Making dahi vada
  1. 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.
  2. The vada will release some of the oil and absorb water increasing a bit in size with a color change.
  3. Take each vada and flatten and press between your palms to remove the water.
  4. Place these vada in a serving bowl or tray.
  5. Whisk curd (yogurt) until smooth. Pour the curd over the vada evenly all over covering them.
  6. Top with the green chutney and tamarind chutney as needed.
  7. Sprinkle a few pinches of red chili powder or cayenne, roasted cumin powder, chaat masala and black salt.
  8. Garnish with pomegranate arils and coriander leaves.
Serving suggestions
  1. Serve dahi vada straightway. Or you can refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving.
Storage
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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

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: 60 Dahi Vada

Amount Per Serving

Calories 44

% 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.