Dahi Vada Recipe

Dahi Vada Recipe

December 9, 2022
Prep Time : 8 hrs
Cook Time : 45 mins
Total Time : 8 hrs 45 mins
 

Ingredients

For vada batter

  • 1 cup urad dal (heaped) – 200 grams
  • ½ teaspoon chopped green chili or serrano or thai chili or 1 green chilli
  • 1 teaspoon chopped ginger or 1 inch ginger
  • 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 roasted cumin powder
  • black salt – add as required, optional
  • ¼ cup pomegranate arils – optional
  • 2 tablespoons  chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)

For tamarind chutney

  • ½ cup tamarind – tightly packed (seedless)
  • 1.75 cups water
  • ½ teaspoon ginger powder (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 (edible and food grade) or black salt or regular salt as required
  • 1 teaspoon 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 chopped garlic or 1 to 2 small to medium garlic cloves
  • 1 teaspoon chopped green chillies or serrano pepper
  • 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.

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