DAHI BHALLA | DAHI VADA | HOW TO MAKE DAHI VADA

Dahi Bhalla or Dahi Vada is a popular and delicious Indian snack recipe where vadas or lentil fritters are soaked in lightly sweetened thick yogurt and then garnished with chutney, sev, coriander leaves, pomegranate and spices.

We can't get enough of chats. I can have it anytime of the day and I am sure it's the same for all you. But this chaat is something special to me. I never used to like yogurt or yogurt-based dish until my husband made me eat this chat here in the US. I loved it so much, that I slowly began incorporating it in my diet. Now eat yogurt in any form. If you love yogurt then you should not miss trying out this recipe.

This chat is not only beautiful with a lot of colors but it also bursts with an amazing combination of flavors. But it definitely takes some time in making. First, you have to soak, grind, and deep fry the vadas. These deep-fried vadas are soaked in water for few minutes to make them moist and spongy and then soaked in chilled sweetened yogurt for at least 30 minutes before serving. These Dahi Bhallas taste best when served chilled.

While you are here, do check out my other chat recipes like vada pav, dabeli, masala puri, sev puri, papdi chat, aloo tikki chat or ragda pattice. Also, follow me for more interesting recipes coming up for Diwali.

Few important tips to make perfect and soft dahi bhalla (dahi bhalle) or dahi vada

• To make soft and airy vadas my parents and in-laws generally prepare the batter in a wet-grinder. Wet-grinders ensure that the batter is well aerated and smooth. If you have a wet grinder then its well and good, but if you are like me and only have a simple mixer/blender then blend the soaked lentils to a smooth paste. Next, using an electric beater beat it for at least 5 minutes. This whisking/beating action will aerate the dough and will help you prepare perfectly soft and delicious vadas.
• For the better result always see that the ratio of moong dal to urad dal is 1:1.
• Never add too much water while grinding. Add in tablespoon increment as needed to form thick paste.
• Always make a habit of frying vada or bhalla on medium flame. Low flame will absorb excess oil. HIgh flame will bron fast but remian uncooked from inside.
• Also see that your yogurt is fresh (not sour), thick and creamy even before you soak the vadas. I have not mentioned the ingredient amounts for garnish.
• You can vary this as per your taste but do not miss anything mentioned in the list 🙂

Preparation time  30 minutes
Rest time : 4 hour
Serves : 22 dahi vadas or bhallas

Ingredients for Dahi Bhalla | Dahi Vada | Soft Dahi Bhalle

For the vada :

Moong dal / Split green gram - ½ cup
Urad dal / Split black gram without skin - ½ cup
Green chilies finely chopped - 1 or 2
Ginger grated - ½ tbsp
Asafoetida / Hing - small pinch
Salt - to taste
Vegetable Oil - for frying

For preparing the Dahi

Thick yogurt / Curd - 3 cups
Sugar - 5 tsp
Salt - ¼ tsp

For the garnish (Sprinkle as per your taste but do not miss any 🙂 )

Sev
Mint chutney
Dates chutney 
Coriander leaves / Cilantro Chopped
Cumin seed powder
Black salt
Red chile powder
Chat Masala
Pomegranate

How to make perfect, best and soft Dahi Bhalla or Dahi Vada at home

Making of vada batter

• Wash and soak urad dal and moon dal in water for 4 hours or overnight.
• Drain the water completely and grind it by adding not more than 5 to 6 tablespoon of water to form a smooth and thick paste. You cannot make vadas if the batter is runny.
• Transfer this to bowl and using a beater beat it (for about 5 minutes) to form a light and fluffy batter. This is done so that your vadas are airy and soft.
• To this add green chilies, ginger, asafoetida, salt and mix well.

Deep fry and then soak the vadas

• Heat oil in heavy bottomed pan for frying on medium flame.
• Once the oil is hot, take a lemon sized portion of the batter between your fingers (you can use two spoons instead of fingers) and drop it in oil. Add 6 to 7 vadas at time depending on the size of your pan.
• Fry them till they are crispy and golden brown on all the sides (approx 4-6 minutes). Transfer it to a plate lined with paper towel to absorb any excess oil. Repeat the process for remaining batter.
• Meanwhile put the fried vadas in warm water and let it soak anywhere between 5 to 15 minutes.

Making of Dahi Vada or Dahi Bhalla

• In a wide bowl, add yogurt, sugar, salt with little water and beat it using whisk till it is creamy.
• Squeeze the vadas between your palm to remove excess water. Be careful and do not break them. Then soak them in creamy yogurt mix prepare above, and keep it in refrigerator till your are ready to serve.
• See that vadas are completely covered in yogurt. This can be kept in refrigerator for at least 3 days.

Dahi Vada or Dahi Bhalla Chaat

• Whenever you are ready to serve, place one or two vadas in a serving bowl, top it with several scoopfuls of creamy flavored yogurt mix.
• Garnish it with all the ingredients mentioned in the list as per your taste. But make sure you add all the garnish
• Dahi Bhallas or Dahi Vada is ready. Serve and enjoy.

Tip:

• You can vary the amount of sugar in the yogurt as per your taste.
• If your yogurt is too watery, then transfer the yogurt to a clean sterilized kitchen towel and hang it 30 minutes to an hour, to let excess water to drain off.
• Vary all the spices as desired.
• To check if the oil is hot, drop few drops of batter and check if it sizzles and comes up.
• If the oil is cold, vadas will absorb excess oil. If it is too hot, vadas will turn brown. Best practice is to fry between medium and medium high flame.
• You can also use 2 tablespoon of apple butter instead of the dates chutney. To 2 tablespoon of apple butter I added ¼ cup of water and mixed well, and then to this I added ¼ teaspoon of chilli powder, ½ teaspoon of chat masala and pinch of black salt.
• In coastal Karnataka, only urad dal is used to prepare dahi vada. So you can make the vada using only urad dal if desired.

Detailed step by step recipe for Soft Dahi Bhalla or Dahi Vada

DAHI BHALLA | DAHI VADA | HOW TO MAKE DAHI VADA | SOFT DAHI BHALLE

Kushi

Dahi Bhalla or Dahi Vada is a popular and delicious Indian snack recipe where vadas or lentil fritters are soaked in lightly sweetened thick yogurt and then garnished with chutney, sev, coriander leaves, pomegranate and spices.

5 from 18 votes

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Prep Time 30 mins

Resting Time 4 hrs

Course Appetizer, snacks

Cuisine Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, gujarati, Karnataka, north indian, South Indian, Tamil Nadu, uttar pradesh

Servings 22 dahi vadas

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

FOR THE VADA :

• ½ cup Moong dal / Split green gram
• ½ cup Urad dal / Split black gram without skin
• 1 or 2 Green chilies finely chopped
• ½ tablespoon Ginger grated
• Asafoetida / Hing, small pinch
• Salt, to taste
• Vegetable oil, for frying

FOR PREPARING THE DAHI

• 3 cups Thick yogurt / Curd 
• 5 teaspoon Sugar
• ¼ teaspoon Salt

FOR THE GARNISH (SPRINKLE AS PER YOUR TASTE BUT DO NOT MISS ANY 🙂 )

• Sev or Kara boondi
• Mint chutney
• Dates chutney or Imli chutney
• Coriander leaves / Cilantro Chopped
• Cumin seed powder
• Black salt
• Red chile powder
• Chat Masala
• Pomegranate or Grated carrots

Instructions

 

HOW TO MAKE PERFECT, BEST AND SOFT DAHI BHALLA OR DAHI VADA AT HOME

MAKING OF VADA BATTER

• Wash and soak urad dal and moon dal in water for 4 hours or overnight.
• Drain the water completely and grind it by adding not more than 5 to 6 tablespoon of water to form a smooth and thick paste. You cannot make vadas if the batter is runny.
• Transfer this to bowl and using a beater beat it (for about 5 minutes) to form a light and fluffy batter. This is done so that your vadas are airy and soft.
• To this add green chilies, ginger, asafoetida, salt and mix well.

DEEP FRY AND THEN SOAK THE VADAS

• Heat oil in heavy bottomed pan for frying on medium flame.
• Once the oil is hot, take a lemon sized portion of the batter between your fingers (you can use two spoons instead of fingers) and drop it in oil. Add 6 to 7 vadas at time depending on the size of your pan.
• Fry them till they are crispy and golden brown on all the sides (approx 4-6 minutes). Transfer it to a plate lined with paper towel to absorb any excess oil. Repeat the process for remaining batter.
• Meanwhile put the fried vadas in bowl of warm water and let it soak anywhere between 5 to 15 minutes.

MAKING OF DAHI VADA OR DAHI BHALLA

• In a wide bowl, add yogurt, sugar, salt with little water and beat it using whisk till it is creamy.
• Squeeze the vadas between your palm to remove excess water. Be careful and do not break them. Then soak them in creamy yogurt mix prepare above, and keep it in refrigerator till your are ready to serve.
• See that vadas are completely covered in yogurt. This can be kept in refrigerator for at least 3 days.

DAHI VADA OR DAHI BHALLA CHAAT

• Whenever you are ready to serve, place one or two vadas in a serving bowl, top it with several scoopfuls of creamy flavored yogurt mix.
• Garnish it with all the ingredients mentioned in the list as per your taste. But make sure you add all the garnish.
• Dahi Bhallas or Dahi Vada is ready. Serve and enjoy.

Notes

• You can vary the amount of sugar in the yogurt as per your taste.
• If your yogurt is too watery, then transfer the yogurt to a clean sterilized kitchen towel and hang it 30 minutes to an hour, to let excess water to drain off.
• Vary all the spices as desired.
• To check if the oil is hot, drop a few drops of batter and check if it sizzles and comes up.
• If the oil is cold, vadas will absorb excess oil. If it is too hot, vadas will turn brown. The best practice is to fry between medium and medium-high flame.
• You can also use 2 tablespoon of apple butter instead of the dates chutney. To 2 tablespoon of apple butter I added ¼ cup of water and mixed well, and then to this I added ¼ teaspoon of chili powder, ½ teaspoon of chat masala, and pinch of black salt.
• In coastal Karnataka, only urad dal is used to prepare Dahi vada. So you can make the vada using only urad dal if desired.
• Also to make it south Indian style, you can garnish with kara boondi and grated carrots.
• You can check the recipes here for Sev, Mint chutney , Dates chutney 

Keyword chaats, chats, dahi bada, dahi baray, dahi chaat, desi chaat, diwali food, green chutney, holi, imli chutney, mint chutney, street food, street style, sweet chutney, Yogurt

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