Dahi vada is an immensely popular Indian dish. This protein packed, gluten free recipe is made from lentil fritters drunken in whipped creamy yogurt. It’s served as a snack, appetizer or side dish with main meal and is absolutely melt in mouth delicious. Dahi means yogurt and vada is fritters. [ deep fried kind ] so the literal translation for these is fritters drunken in yogurt . The base of this dish is vada [ fritters ] made of urad dal [ split skinned black gram lentils ] . These crispy vada are also known as Medhu vada and taste super delicious on their own with side of green chutney immerse with sambar . Thus you get two different dishes using one recipe . Yogurt or curd base snacks or recipes are always my favourite recipes, perhaps it has soothing and satisfying feeling when served with a combination of spicy and savoury snack. Urad dal vada is one such savoury and spicy snack, which gets smooth and soft when dipped in creamy yogurt. Before dipped in curd dip in hot water so that it gets soft immediately and also the excess oil is removed. In addition the other advantage of soaking in hot water is to fasten the softening process of vada , for instance it takes double the time vadas to get soaked and soft in creamy yogurt. So dipping in hot water and then eventually soaking or serving it with creamy yogurt would be an ideal trick for Dahi vada. This is the South Indian version of Dahi vada. This version is slightly different from North Indian Dahi Bhalla. The difference being the shape of the vada [ Dahi vada is like a donut, the hole in the middle and the Dahi Bhalla is like a round ball ] and Dahi Bhalla is sweeter and served with two types of chutney .

Ingredients:

For vada –

1. Urad dal – 250 gms .

2. Green chillies – 2 finely chopped.

3. Pepper corns – 1tsp full.

4. Rice powder- 1 tbsp.

5. Asafoetida- 1tsp.

6. Salt to taste.

7. Chopped coriander leaves- 1tbsp.

For soaking-

Water- 1lt.

For creamy yogurt –

1. Thick yogurt – 750ml .

2. Water- 1 -2 cups .

3. Green chilies – 2 -3 finely chopped .

4. Coriander leaves finely chopped – 1 tbsp .

5. Salt to taste.

For garnishing :

Kara boondhi.

Red chilli powder a little .

Coriander leaves .

Method:

1. Wash and soak urad dal in water for 3 – 5 hours.

2. Drain off the water and grind in wet grinder or mixer grinder ( I prefer to use wet grinder) . Grind to smooth paste adding water as required, try to add a minimal amount of water to prevent the batter from turning watery. Transfer this batter to a mixing bowl and keep aside.

3. In another mixing bowl take curd and whisk well. Now add water, salt, green chilies and mix well, then add half of the coriander leaves and mix well and keep aside.

4. Now add salt, green chilies, crushed pepper corns , asafoetida and rice powder to the ground urad dal batter. Using whisk or hand mix well and make the batter into fluffy batter. Very important is to aerate the batter, so whisk the batter until it looks fluffy. Once whisked well batter will change in colour and become lighter look and almost double in size. To test if it’s done drop some batter in a bowl full of water, the batter should float ,which means it’s light and airy and ready for frying.

5. In a vessel take water and bring it to boil.

6. Heat the oil in deep frying pan, the oil should be on medium heat, if too hot the vada becomes brown quickly but will be undercooked from inside.

7. Now wet your hands in water. Take a small portion from the batter and keep transferring from one palm to another to make a ball. Using your another hand’s pointing finger make a small hole in middle of the ball ( like a donut ) and slowly drop this into hot oil.

8. Add according to the capacity of the pan or kadai . Make sure not to over crowded the pan.

9. When vadas become pale golden then turn them. Fry the vadas till they become golden and crisp, turn them a couple of times for even frying. Remove with a slotted spoon draining excess oil in pan itself.

10. Once the vadas are fried take them from the oil and dip them in hot water for 2 – 3 minutes, once done on one side turn to the other side

11. Vadas become soft now you squeeze water from each vadas by carefully pressing between two spatulas.

12. Now in a serving dish add mixed yogurt then assemble all vadas and pour more yogurt over them . Garnish with kara boondhi , coriander leaves and sprinkle some chilli powder over them .

13. Let it sit a while before serving. It taste better if you.