Dahi vada
(Dhai pakora)
Dahi Vada is a very popular amazing street food of North India. They are also known as Dahi Bhalle. The name Dahi vada itself is enough to bring water in mouth. They are absolutely delicious snack and as you bite into a soft, mouthwatering vada it will tickle your taste buds and stimulate your appetite for more.
Dahi vadas are deep fried Urad dal pakoras they are first soaked in water and then after squeezing the water out, transferred to thick beaten yogurt. To add more flavors it is topped with tamarind and coriander chutney and sprinkle red chili powder roasted cumin seed powder and chaat masala. Dahi vada tastes best when served chilled. Dhai vads are ideal to serve at parties as it can be made in advance and chilled in the refrigerator.
Dahi vadas are deep fried Urad dal pakoras they are first soaked in water and then after squeezing the water out, transferred to thick beaten yogurt. To add more flavors it is topped with tamarind and coriander chutney and sprinkle red chili powder roasted cumin seed powder and chaat masala. Dahi vada tastes best when served chilled. Dhai vads are ideal to serve at parties as it can be made in advance and chilled in the refrigerator.
Ingredients for vada:
1 Cup Urad dal (washed white urad dal)
½ Cup Moong dal (washed yellow moong dal)
2 Pinch of asafetida (Hing) optional
3 Cups of vegetable oil for frying the Vadhas
1 Cup Urad dal (washed white urad dal)
½ Cup Moong dal (washed yellow moong dal)
2 Pinch of asafetida (Hing) optional
3 Cups of vegetable oil for frying the Vadhas
Urad Dal
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Moong Dal
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Ingredients for garnishing:
½ Teaspoon roasted ground cumin seed powder(roasted Jeera powder)
½ Teaspoon chaat masala
½ Teaspoon red chili powder
3 Cups of plain yogurt
½ Cup of milk
2 Teaspoons salt or to your taste
Tamarind chutney (Imli chutney)
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½ Teaspoon roasted ground cumin seed powder(roasted Jeera powder)
½ Teaspoon chaat masala
½ Teaspoon red chili powder
3 Cups of plain yogurt
½ Cup of milk
2 Teaspoons salt or to your taste
Tamarind chutney (Imli chutney)
Cooking measurement conversion
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Directions for preparing the Dal for vada:
1. In a bowl mix urad and moong dal and wash, changing water several times
until the water appears clear than soak the Dal in 5 cups of water over night
or at least 6 hours.(If you did not preplan and you are in mood to make Dhai
vada then soak Dal's in hot water, in hot water Dal does not take long to soak.)
1. In a bowl mix urad and moong dal and wash, changing water several times
until the water appears clear than soak the Dal in 5 cups of water over night
or at least 6 hours.(If you did not preplan and you are in mood to make Dhai
vada then soak Dal's in hot water, in hot water Dal does not take long to soak.)
Add Moong Dal in Urad Dal
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Mix Urad & Moong Dal
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Wash Dal well
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Soak Dal in water
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2. Once Dal is soaked, rinse the water out and wash the Dal and drain all the
water out from the Dal.
water out from the Dal.
Wash and rinse soaked Dal
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Soaked Urad Dal & Moong Dal
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3. Now transfer the Dal in to the blender add asafetida and grind it. While
grinding Dal drop ½ to 1 cup of water or as needed little at a time to lubricate
the Dal paste for grinding
4. Grind with switch on and off so that Dal keep mixing.
5. While grinding the Dal in between stop the blender and open the cover and
with a spatula mix the Dal so that all the Dal grinds evenly into a smooth
paste.
grinding Dal drop ½ to 1 cup of water or as needed little at a time to lubricate
the Dal paste for grinding
4. Grind with switch on and off so that Dal keep mixing.
5. While grinding the Dal in between stop the blender and open the cover and
with a spatula mix the Dal so that all the Dal grinds evenly into a smooth
paste.
Add soaked Dal in the Blender
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Grind the Dal and make a paste
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6. Transfer the paste into a bowl.
7. With hand or a spoon beat in a circular motion for few minutes so that the
paste become light and fluffy. To make Dahi vada soft, it is very important to
whip the Dal batter vigorously to make it light and fluffy.
8. Paste should not be too watery or too thick. If it is too thick vada will become
dry and hard.The consistency of the paste should be thicker than cake batter.
7. With hand or a spoon beat in a circular motion for few minutes so that the
paste become light and fluffy. To make Dahi vada soft, it is very important to
whip the Dal batter vigorously to make it light and fluffy.
8. Paste should not be too watery or too thick. If it is too thick vada will become
dry and hard.The consistency of the paste should be thicker than cake batter.
Dhai vada paste
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Whip the paste
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9. To figure out if the batter is ready to make the vada's, take a cup of water and
drop a little paste into the water, if the dal paste float that means the paste is
ready to fry, if it does not float then beat it little longer and test it again
drop a little paste into the water, if the dal paste float that means the paste is
ready to fry, if it does not float then beat it little longer and test it again
Drop a little paste in water
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Consistency of the paste
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Directions for frying the vada:
1. Heat 3 cups of oil in a medium size frying pan or a kadhi. For first 5 five
minutes turn the heat high, once oil heats up turn the heat down to medium.
2. To test to see if the oil is ready drop a small ball of paste in the hot oil, if it start
sizzling and float to the surface it means it is the right heat but if it become to
dark quickly it means oil is too hot, turn the heat down. The correct temperature
is important.
1. Heat 3 cups of oil in a medium size frying pan or a kadhi. For first 5 five
minutes turn the heat high, once oil heats up turn the heat down to medium.
2. To test to see if the oil is ready drop a small ball of paste in the hot oil, if it start
sizzling and float to the surface it means it is the right heat but if it become to
dark quickly it means oil is too hot, turn the heat down. The correct temperature
is important.
Heat the oil
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Drop little paste in oil
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3. Keep a bowl of water nearby.
4. Wet your fingers.
4. Wet your fingers.
Vada paste
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Wet your fingers
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5. Take a little portion of the paste at a time and gently start dropping in the hot
oil in the shape of balls. Do not drop more than 8 to 10 balls at once (The
amount of the portion of the paste is according to the size of the vada you wan
to make.) When you drop the dough ball keep the heat to medium high so that
balls puff up and get into shape then reduce the heat to low.
6. Don’t worry about the shape of vadas very much, they do not have to be perfect
round, once we squeeze them out of water and soak them in yogurt they will
get shaped.
oil in the shape of balls. Do not drop more than 8 to 10 balls at once (The
amount of the portion of the paste is according to the size of the vada you wan
to make.) When you drop the dough ball keep the heat to medium high so that
balls puff up and get into shape then reduce the heat to low.
6. Don’t worry about the shape of vadas very much, they do not have to be perfect
round, once we squeeze them out of water and soak them in yogurt they will
get shaped.
Take some Dal paste
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Drop the Dal paste in hot oil
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7. At first the balls will sink to the bottom of the pan, but do not try to move
them. after 1 minute balls will puff up and expand,
8. With the spatula flicker oil over the vada's .
9. in about 1 minute balls will puff up and expand.
10. In about 3 to 4 minute minutes with the pierced spatula turn the balls to
the other side and fry. Keep turning the balls around and let the balls fry for
another 3 minutes on low heat so that inside of the ball get cooked, other wise
inside stay row and doughy.
them. after 1 minute balls will puff up and expand,
8. With the spatula flicker oil over the vada's .
9. in about 1 minute balls will puff up and expand.
10. In about 3 to 4 minute minutes with the pierced spatula turn the balls to
the other side and fry. Keep turning the balls around and let the balls fry for
another 3 minutes on low heat so that inside of the ball get cooked, other wise
inside stay row and doughy.
Vada's start simmering
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Vada's start puffing
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Flicker oil over Vada's
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Turn the vada's to other side
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Turn the vada's again
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Vada's are fried
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11. Once the vadas become golden brown with the pierced spatula take them out
of the oil, and place them on a plate over the napkin so that excess oil is
absorbed. (It takes about 10 minutes to fry the Vada’s)
of the oil, and place them on a plate over the napkin so that excess oil is
absorbed. (It takes about 10 minutes to fry the Vada’s)
Take the Vada's out from oil
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Place the fried vadas over paper towel
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Fried Dal vada's
12. Once you take all the vadas out of the oil, turn the heat down to low, because
oil is hot and when you drop another batch of vadas in the oil they will fried
quickly from outside and inside they will stay raw.
13 Turn the heat to medium high then Drop another batch of vada's , once
Vada's puff reduce the heat to low. Repeat the process until all the vadas are
made.
oil is hot and when you drop another batch of vadas in the oil they will fried
quickly from outside and inside they will stay raw.
13 Turn the heat to medium high then Drop another batch of vada's , once
Vada's puff reduce the heat to low. Repeat the process until all the vadas are
made.
Prepare vadas to serve:
1. Take a bowl and fill it with hot water add 1 teaspoon salt and mix, then drop the amount of vadas you want to serve and soak them for 20 to 30 minutes. If you do not soak the vadas they would not absorb the yogurt.
1. Take a bowl and fill it with hot water add 1 teaspoon salt and mix, then drop the amount of vadas you want to serve and soak them for 20 to 30 minutes. If you do not soak the vadas they would not absorb the yogurt.
Soak the vada's in hot water
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Vada's are soaked
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2. Once the vadas are soaked pick 2 or 3 vadas at a time and press them gently in
between your palms and squeeze, the water and oil will come out from the vadas place them on a plate.
between your palms and squeeze, the water and oil will come out from the vadas place them on a plate.
Soaked Vada
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Take few soaked vada's in hand
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Squeeze the vada's to take the water out
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Squeezed Vada's
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3. For 10 vadas first take 2 cups of yogurt and mix it with ½ cup of milk and ½ teaspoon salt or according to your taste, and then pour over the Squeezed vadas.
4. Now cover the plate and refrigerate it for at least ½ hour to 1 hour.
4. Now cover the plate and refrigerate it for at least ½ hour to 1 hour.
Yogurt
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Add Vada's in yogurt
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Cover the vada's with yogurt
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Cover the bowl
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5. Before serving Vada's take another cup of yogurt, and pour over the vadas,
with the spoon spread yogurt evenly.
6. Once vadas are soaked in the yogurt and coated with yogurt they are ready to
be served. With the spoon pour some sweet and sour Imli chutney (Tamarind
chutney) and sprinkle roasted cumin seed powder, chat masala and red chili
powder.
7. At the dinner table keep masala and imli chutney (tamarind chutney) aside
so that more could be added as per preference.
with the spoon spread yogurt evenly.
6. Once vadas are soaked in the yogurt and coated with yogurt they are ready to
be served. With the spoon pour some sweet and sour Imli chutney (Tamarind
chutney) and sprinkle roasted cumin seed powder, chat masala and red chili
powder.
7. At the dinner table keep masala and imli chutney (tamarind chutney) aside
so that more could be added as per preference.
Arrange the Vada's in a plate
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Pour Imli Chutney over Vada's
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Sprinkle spices over Vada's
Yogurt
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Imli chutney
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Red chili powder
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Roasted Jeera powder
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Chaat Masala
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Salt
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Tips:
1. For best results, the vadas should be soaked in yogurt for at least a couple
of hours before serving.
2. You can also make vadas only with urad dal.
3. Table spoon could be used to drop the dal paste in the oil
4. Fried vadha could be refrigerated for 1 week. You can also make the dahi vadas in advance and freeze them before soaking in the water. When ready to use, take as many as needed out and soak in hot water until they become soft, then you can prepare and serve them the usual way.
5. Decorate Dahi vada with spices and serve in parties.
1. For best results, the vadas should be soaked in yogurt for at least a couple
of hours before serving.
2. You can also make vadas only with urad dal.
3. Table spoon could be used to drop the dal paste in the oil
4. Fried vadha could be refrigerated for 1 week. You can also make the dahi vadas in advance and freeze them before soaking in the water. When ready to use, take as many as needed out and soak in hot water until they become soft, then you can prepare and serve them the usual way.
5. Decorate Dahi vada with spices and serve in parties.
Please take the time to let me know what you think about my recipe. Your comments would be helpful to me to improve the recipe.
Thank you
Geeta Seth
Thank you
Geeta Seth
Other recipes:
Papadi chat Moong dal dokhla
Gol gappas (Pani poori) Sooji dokhla (Cream of wheat dokhla)
Aloo tikki (Potato pattis) Green moong dal pakoras(Fritters)
Poha with green peas Potato paneer tots
Papadi chat Moong dal dokhla
Gol gappas (Pani poori) Sooji dokhla (Cream of wheat dokhla)
Aloo tikki (Potato pattis) Green moong dal pakoras(Fritters)
Poha with green peas Potato paneer tots
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