Dahi Vada

The taste of Indian street food is so addictive that it's irresistible. It leaves your taste buds tingling even after the dish is finished. The spicy and tangy flavor of the food always ask you for "Thoda Aur"(little more). Dahi Vada or Dahi Bhalla is an Indian Chaat (snack) to be more precise a North Indian street food but now its taste has spread in the entire world and can be found easily in many Indian restaurants around the globe.

Dahi Vada is deep fried lentil dumplings made from Urad daal (split black gram), soaked in beaten yogurt and topped with flavored chutneys, spices and garnished with Sev or Boondi. It is making me drool even when I'm writing this post. It's taste is just inexplicable. So, without any further ado I'm sharing it's recipe:

Ingredients:

(For 16-18 vadas)

For making Vada:

1. Urad Daal (split black gram) : 2 cups

2. Asafoetida :1/4 tsp

3. Cumin (crushed) : 1 tbsp

4. Green chili : 2-3

5. Salt (to taste)

6. Oil (to fry)

For assembling Dahi Vada:

1. Yogurt: 4-5 cups

2. Water: 2 cups

3. Tamarind chutney

4. Sev or Boondi (to garnish)

5. Cumin powder (to sprinkle)

6. Red chili powder (to sprinkle)

7. Black Salt (to sprinkle)

8. Fresh Cilantro (Coriander)

9. Warm Water (to soak the vadas)

10. Salt (to taste)

11. Sugar (to taste)

Method:

1. Wash and soak the Urad daal for 7-8 hrs or overnight. Wash well and drain the water from the daal. 

2. Grind the daal to a smooth paste with the green chili. Use very little water while grinding (few drops at a time). Remove the paste (batter) into a large bowl and add asafoetida, crushed cumin and salt and mix well with your hands or a whisk. This will make the batter airy. Always remember the key to make melt in mouth Dahi Vada is beating the paste very well until you feel pain in your arms. As we all know "No pain No Gain"

3. Heat oil in a pan or wok on medium heat. Wet your hands, take out small amount of batter and put small blob of the batter. Fry them until they get a nice golden hue. Fry the vadas in batches. Remove them in a plate lined with paper towel to soak excess oil. 

4. Take warm water in a large bowl and add salt to it. Dip the vadas or dumplings in the warm water for 10-15 mins.

5. In the meanwhile whisk yogurt with salt (remember you have used salt before so be cautious while adding it to yogurt), sugar, cumin powder, red chili powder and black salt.

6. Just before serving squeeze out the excess water from the vadas by pressing it in between your palms. Place them on your serving plates. Pour the whisked yogurt over them. Drizzle the tamarind chutney and sprinkle red chili powder, cumin powder.

7. Garnish it with finely chopped cilantro, sev or boondi.