Dahi Vada Chaat | Soft Dahi Bhalla Recipe

Dahi Vada Chaat  | Soft Dahi Bhalla recipe | Dahi Bhalle | How to make Dahi Bhalla at Home

Dahi Vada Chaat  | Soft Dahi Bhalla recipe | Dahi Bhalle | How to make Dahi Bhalla at Home with step by step instructions

This Soft Dahi Bhalla recipe | Dahi Vada Chaat is as good as the chaat at the popular chaat bhandars. These dahi vada will tantalize your taste buds with the blend of the chutneys, spices and will just melt in your mouth.

The trick to making soft spongy dahi vada has not come to me overnight. My first attempt at making dahi vada was back in college. The thrill that I experienced in making them and assuming that these dahi vada would evidently turn out soft and spongy like how my mother makes, ended in a fiasco. The vada turned out like hard nuts to crack.

Time passed and I would see my mother making these soft dahi bhalla on several occasions. I vowed to myself that one day, like my mother, I would become an expert. At my in laws, my sister in law also made awesome dahi vada. Well, the internal strife persisted. Everyone advised – Beat the batter! Beat the batter! I did beat!- It was better each time but far from perfection.

Then one fine day, I took my electric beater and beat the vada batter. Goodness!! the Vada turned out soft . From that day there has been no looking back. Now with great affection, I prepare Soft Dahi Bhalla for family and guests. Watch the video or read on to know the correct method of making soft and spongy dahi vada.

Dahi Bhalle is one of the popular recipes among curd lovers. Besides this, you will find some more curd based recipes such as

Vegetable Raita

Gatte ki Kadhi

South Indian Curd Rice

Herbed Labneh Dip

What is Dahi Vada | Dahi Bhalla

Dahi Vada are soft lentil dumplings made from urad dal with a bit of moong dal. These vada are fried and then soaked in water. After sometime the water is squeezed and then the vada are immersed in a yogurt bath and drizzled with spices and chutneys.

‘Dahi’ means yogurt and ‘vada’ means lentil dumplings. Dahi bhalle, dahi bada ,dahi wada, perugu vada all mean the same soft spongy lentils dumplings plunged into a generous bath of yogurt (Source : Wikipedia )

Ingredients for Dahi Vada Chaat

For Measurements refer to the RECIPE CARD further below

Lentils – Urad deal is the main lentil variety for dahi vada. A bit of split yellow moong is added for enhance texture.

Curd– Use fresh curd/yoghurt . It can be home made or market bought.

Ginger, Green chili – Added while blending lentils . Lends a bit of of spiciness and zing to the dahi vada

Cumin seeds – Added while blending lentils.

Asafoetida (hing)

Accompaniments for Making Chaat – Chaat masala powder, Red chili powder or cayenne, roasted cumin powder, black pepper powder, salt as needed,

Water

Cashew nuts and raisins – for making dahi vada.

Oil for frying dahi vadas

Pomegranate arils, chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)– For garnish

Green Coriander Chutney as needed

Sweet Tamarind Chutney as needed

Video Recipe : Dahi Vada Chaat

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How to make Dahi Bhalla at Home

with images and step by step instructions

Soaking (preparations to be done before)

Rinse the both lentils very well at least 3 times in water.

Soak the lentils in enough water overnight or for 5 to 6 hours.

Grinding

Drain all the water and add the lentils in a blender.

Add chopped green chilies, chopped ginger and cumin seeds.

Add water in parts and grind to a smooth thick or medium-thick batter.

Transfer the ground batter into a bowl.

Aerating the batter

Just before frying, add salt and asafetida.

Stir the batter briskly with the help of fork or electric beater for a couple of minutes. This aerates the batter making it lighter.

We need to work in batches because the batter must be beaten again just before the vada are fried.

For this transfer a part of the batter into another bowl.

To this add raisins and chopped cashew nuts. Combine well.

Deep Frying Vada

Heat a kadai or pan with oil for deep frying.

When the oil is medium hot, add spoonfuls of the batter in the oil.

The batter should sizzle and come up on the surface of oil swiftly and steadily

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 absorbent paper.

Do not overcrowd the pan while frying.

To fry the second batch, again beat the batter and add cashew nuts and raisins and proceed with frying.

Let the vada sit for sometime before proceeding for the next step.

Soaking the fried Vada

In another bowl take water take some lukewarm water.

Immerse all the vada in the lukewarm water. Ideally soak for an hour. If an a hurry, fifteen minutes could be fine.

The vada will release some of the oil and absorb water increasing a bit in size with a color change.

Place these vada in a serving bowl or tray.

Whisk curd (yogurt) until smooth. Add salt and some cumin powder.

Take each vada and flatten and press between your palms to remove the water. Be gentle.

Dip each vada into the whisked yogurt and place it in a serving dish or a container for refrigerating.

Pour more whisked yogurt over all the vada evenly all over covering them.

Refrigerate for an hour or two before serving.

Serving and Garnishing

Transfer required quantity of vada into a serving dish. Pour more whisked yogurt over the vada. Sprinkle a few pinches of the spice powders.

Top with the green cilantro chutney and sweet tamarind chutney as needed. Lastly, garnish with pomegranate arils and coriander leaves.

Complement it with a Crispy Aloo Tikki or Beetroot Tikki and Chole Masala Chaat

Storage

The remaining vada that are soaked in yogurt can stay good in the fridge for 1-2 days.

The lentil dumplings can be made in advance and frozen before assembling the complete dish. Before serving, soak the vada in warm water till soft and spongy.

Squeeze out the water, add the whisked yogurt and proceed as mentioned above.

Tips for Perfect Dahi Bhalle

Soak the lentils well overnight or at least 5-6 hours.

Use minimum water for grinding the lentils to a smooth consistency.

Beating the dumpling /vada well is key to soft and fluffy vada.

The temperature of the oil should not be very high or low. It should be such that the vada are cooked properly from their inside and are crisp and golden brown from outside.

Use fresh yogurt.

To make a no garlic version dahi vada, just skip the garlic in the green coriander chutney.

Do leave a feedback below in the COMMENTS SECTION or my FACEBOOK PAGE.

Recipe Card Dahi Vada Recipe Chaat

Dahi Vada Chaat | Soft Dahi Bhalla Recipe

Dahi Vada are soft lentil dumplings made from lentils such as urad dal with a bit of moong dal. These vada are fried and then soaked in water. After sometime the water is squeezed out and then the vada are immersed in a yogurt bath and drizzled with spices and chutneys.

5 from 11 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

soaking time for vada, chilling time for dahi vada 1 hour hr

Course Accompaniments, Appetizer, Snacks

Cuisine Indian, North Indian

Servings 24 vada

Ingredients

  

For Vada Batter

• 1 cup urad dal soaked overnight or for 5-6 hours at least
• ¼ cup moong dal split soaked overnight or for 5-6 hours at least
• 1 inch ginger chopped
• 1 green chilli chopped
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 pinch asafoetida hing
• Salt as needed
• ¼ to ½ cup water or add as needed
• 8 to 10 cashewnuts chopped
• 1 tablespoon raisins chopped

Other Ingredients

• 2 cups or more yogurt
• 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
• ½ teaspoon black pepper pdr
• salt add as required
• water to slightly dilute the yoghurt
• oil for frying dahi vadas

For Garnish

• A few pomegranate arils
• A few chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)
• Green Coriander Chutney as needed
• Sweet Tamarind Chutney as needed

Instructions

 

Soaking (Preparations done before)

• Rinse the both lentils very well at least 3 times in water.
• Soak the lentils in enough water overnight or for 5 to 6 hours.

Grinding

• Drain all the water and add the lentils in a blender.
• Add chopped green chilies, chopped ginger and cumin seeds.
• Add water in parts and grind to a smooth thick or medium-thick batter.
• Transfer the ground batter into a bowl.

Aerating the batter

• Just before frying, add salt and asafetida.
• Stir the batter briskly with the help of fork or electric beater for a couple of minutes. This aerates the batter making it lighter.
• We need to work in batches because the batter must be beaten just before the vada are fried.
• For this transfer a part of the batter into another bowl.
• To this add raisins and chopped cashew nuts. Combine well.

Frying Vada

• Heat a kadai or pan with oil for deep frying.
• When the oil is medium hot, add spoonfuls of the batter in the oil.
• The batter should sizzle and come up on the surface of oil swiftly and steadily
• 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 absorbent paper.
• Do not overcrowd the pan while frying.
• To fry the second batch, again beat the batter and add cashew nuts and raisins and proceed with frying.
• Let the vada sit for sometime before proceeding for the next step.

Soaking the fried Vada

• In another bowl take water take some lukewarm water.
• Immerse all the vada in the lukewarm water. Ideally soak for an hour. If an a hurry, fifteen minutes could be fine.
• The vada will release some of the oil and absorb water increasing a bit in size with a color change.
• Place these vada in a serving bowl or tray.
• Whisk curd (yogurt) until smooth. Add salt and some cumin powder.
• Take each vada and flatten and press between your palms to remove the water. Be gentle.
• Dip each vada into the whisked yoghurt and place it in a serving dish or a container for refrigerating.
• Pour more whisked yoghurt over all the vada evenly all over covering them.
• Refrigerate for an hour or two before serving.

Serving and Garnishing

• Transfer required quantity of vada into serving dish.
• Pour more whisked yogurt over the vada. Sprinkle a few pinches of the spice powders.
• Top with the green chutney and tamarind chutney as needed.
• Lastly, garnish with pomegranate arils and coriander leaves.

Storage

• The remaining vada soaked in yoghurt can stay good in the fridge for 1-2 days.
• The lentil dumplings can be made in advance and frozen before assembling the complete dish. Before serving, soak the vada in warm water till soft and spongy
• Squeeze out the water, add the whisked yoghurt and proceed as mentioned above.

Notes

• Soak the lentils well overnight or at least 5-6 hours.
• Use minimum water for grinding the lentils to a smooth consistency.
• Beating the dumpling /vada well is key to soft and fluffy vada.
• The temperature of the oil should not be very high or low. It should be such that the vada are cooked properly from their inside and are crisp and golden brown from outside.
• Use fresh yoghurt.
• To make a no garlic version dahi vada, just skip the garlic in the green coriander chutney.

Keyword dahi bhalle, dahi vada, dahi vada chaat, soft dahi bhalla, spongy dahi vada

Dahi Vada Chaat  | Soft Dahi Bhalla recipe | Dahi Bhalle is curated for the event A to Z  Recipe Challenge – Season 2. The task  in Season 2 lies in  creating one recipe every month commencing in an alphabetical order. The challenge, however,  is that  the name of star ingredient must be in Hindi. This time it is ‘D‘ so the recipe created is Dahi Vada Chaat  | Soft Dahi Bhalla recipe | Dahi Bhalle.  Oh! This is going to be fun and adventurous learning experience.

FAQ

Why do the dahi vada sometimes turn out hard

Beating the batter very well before frying the vada is the key to soft dahi vada. Equally important it is to soak the dahi vada in lukewarm water for at least fifteen minutes.

How to make perfectly round bhalla

Dip your hand and palm in water and then gently drop small portions of batter into the frying pan.

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