Dahi Vada is also known as Dahi Bhalla in Punjabi. It is very popular street food chaat in India. Recipe is very simple and easy to follow. Typically, it is prepared by soaking vadas into yogurt and garnish it with chutneys and chatpata masala. It is very popular in North India as well in South India (specially in Andhra). The preparation method is almost same however there is some variation in the shape and garnishing method.
In North India, it is prepared by soaking lentil Vadas (small balls) in thick dahi mixture with chaat toppings like chutneys and chaat spices. But in South India, vadas make in the doughnut shape using same kind of thick batter and top with tempered mustard seeds, split black gram and curry leaves instead of chutneys. I have been in both places and tested both versions. My personal favorite is North Indian style Dahi Vada so today I’m sharing the North Indian style Dahi Vada aka Dahi Bhalla.
Dahi Vada has made it as a popular Indian favorite over the many years of its existence on menus and in the kitchen. It is also considered as a traditional feast dish and has made its way to so many Indian food loving people’s heart. It is also consumed on occasion of North Indian festivals like Holi, Diwali, etc…
The best part of Dahi Vada is you can garnish it not only with chutneys and spices but also with sev, pomegranate arils, etc…
Follow this recipe to put together a batch of fluffy Dahi Vadas and enjoy it.
Ingredients:
For Vada
• 1 cup Urad Dal/Split Black Gram
• 2 Green Chilies Finely Chopped or Crushed
• ½ Inch Ginger Grated or Crushed
• Salt
• Oil for Deep Frying
Other Ingredients
• 2 cup Yogurt/Dahi/Curd
• Salt
• 1 tsp Red Chili Powder
• 1 tsp Cumin Seeds Powder
• ½ tsp Black Salt
• 2-3 tbsp Green Chutney (click here for recipe)
• 2-3 tbsp Tamarind Chutney (click here for recipe)
• Chopped Coriander Leaves for Garnishing
• Pomegranate Arils for Garnishing (optional)
• Fine Chaat Sev (optional)
Method:
1. Wash the dal for 2-3 times, then soak it in required water (3-4 cups) for 4-5 hrs or overnight.
2. Drain the water. Add dal into a mixer or blender jar and blend it till smooth creamy texture. add little water as needed while grinding.
3. Remove it into the mixing bowl. Add salt, crushed ginger-green chili, mix it well and whip it using spatula for 2-3 minutes till the mixture becomes light and fluffy. Add 1-2 tbsp water if needed.
4. Heat the oil for deep frying in a kadhai or deep pan. Drop the 1 tbsp batter into the hot oil using a spoon or your fingers, fry 3-4 vadas (like pakoras) at a time till all sides become golden brown, then remove it on the absorbent paper.
5. Make more vadas using remaining batter and keep aside.
6. Mix the yogurt and little salt into a bowl, whisk it using a spoon, add ½ cup of water, mix it well and make a smooth batter (consistency should be like thick buttermilk), keep aside.
7. Add cold water in to a big bowl, then soak the fried vadas into the water for 10-15 mins.
8. Now take each vada one by one between your hand palms and squeeze out all the excess water gently and keep aside.
9. In a small bowl add red chili powder, cumin seeds powder, black salt and mix it well, keep aside for garnishing.
10. Vadas are ready for serving. Now arrange 3-4 vadas in the serving plate, pour the yogurt mixture as required over it, top it with green chutney and tamarind chutney as per taste.
11. Sprinkle few pinches of the prepared red chili powder mixture over it, then garnish it with chopped coriander leaves, sev and some pomegranates arils.
12. Use same method to make more Dahi Vada plates and enjoy this mouthwatering delicacy of North India.
Tips:
• You can use split moong dal using 1:1 ratio with urad dal.
• You can skip the tamarind chutney and add sugar in yogurt mixture for sweetened taste.
• Topping chutneys and spices always use as per your choice and taste.
• You can store the vadas into the refrigerator for next day use.
- 1 cup Urad Dal/Split Black Gram
- 2 Green Chilies Finely Chopped or Crushed
- ½ Inch Ginger Grated or Crushed
- Salt
- Oil for Deep Frying
- 2 cup Yogurt/Dahi/Curd
- Salt
- 1 tsp Red Chili Powder
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds Powder
- ½ tsp Black Salt
- 2-3 tbsp Green Chutney
- 2-3 tbsp Tamarind Chutney
- Chopped Coriander Leaves for Garnishing
- Pomegranate Arils for Garnishing (optional)
- Fine Chaat Sev (optional)
- Wash the dal for 2-3 times, then soak it in required water (3-4 cups) for 4-5 hrs or overnight.
- Drain the water. Add dal into a mixer or blender jar and blend it till smooth creamy texture. add little water as needed while grinding.
- Remove it into the mixing bowl. Add salt, crushed ginger-green chili, mix it well and whip it using spatula for 2-3 minutes till the mixture becomes light and fluffy. Add 1-2 tbsp water if needed.
- Heat the oil for deep frying in a kadhai or deep pan. Drop the 1 tbsp batter into the hot oil using a spoon or your fingers, fry 3-4 vadas (like pakoras) at a time till all sides become golden brown, then remove it on the absorbent paper.
- Make more vadas using remaining batter and keep aside.
- Mix the yogurt and little salt into a bowl, whisk it using a spoon, add ½ cup of water, mix it well and make a smooth batter (consistency should be like thick buttermilk), keep aside.
- Add cold water in to a big bowl, then soak the fried vadas into the water for 10-15 mins.
- Now take each vada one by one between your hand palms and squeeze out all the excess water gently and keep aside.
- In a small bowl add red chili powder, cumin seeds powder, black salt and mix it well, keep aside for garnishing.
- Vadas are ready for serving. Now arrange 3-4 vadas in the serving plate, pour the yogurt mixture as required over it, top it with green chutney and tamarind chutney as per taste.
- Sprinkle few pinches of the prepared red chili powder mixture over it, then garnish it with chopped coriander leaves, sev and some pomegranates arils.
- Use same method to make more Dahi Vada plates and enjoy this mouthwatering delicacy of North India.
• You can skip the tamarind chutney and add sugar in yogurt mixture for sweetened taste.
• Topping chutneys and spices always use as per your choice and taste.
• You can store the vadas into the refrigerator for next day use.
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[…] Dahi vada is quicker than authentic Dahi-Vada, but it tastes alike and yummy. It’s also easy to make with pantry staple ingredients. […]