Dahi Vada or Dahi Bhalle is a tangy, sweet, spicy street food dish of Mumbai, Delhi and many other places in India.  In Mumbai this dish is known Dahi Vada and as we travel up towards north India in Delhi the same dish is known as Dahi Bhalle. I cooked Dahi Vada, Green chutney and Khatta-Meeta chutney at home with all fresh ingredients.  You should try this recipe at home.  Easy to cook, delicious and healthy too.

Recipe:

Ingredients:

  • Urad Dal (without skin) – Half kg.
  • Green Chili – 2 chopped
  • ½ inch ginger – chopped
  • 2 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon  asafoetida powder
  • 3 tablespoon water for grinding the Urad Dal batter or as required
  • 4 teaspoon of fresh mint leaves
  • ½ tablespoon raisins
  • 8 to 9 cashews – chopped
  • salt as required
  • 2 to 2.5 cups curd (yogurt or dahi) – whisk it nicely, ensure not lumps are present.
  • 1 teaspoon chaat masala
  • 2 teaspoon red chili powder or as required
  • 2 teaspoon roasted cumin powder
  • 2 teaspoon of rock salt
  • ½ cup seedless tamarind
  • 1 cup water for preparing tamarind pulp.
  • ½ teaspoon ginger powder
  • 2 tablespoon jaggery
  • 6 to 8 seedless Dates.
  • 2 cups coriander leaves
  •  1 teaspoon amchur powder (dry mango powder)
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • sufficient oil to deep fry the vada
  • 1 teaspoon of sugar

Method:

Khatta-Meeta Chutney:

  • soak tamarind in water for 4-5 hours in a small bowl.
  • with your hands, squeeze the pulp from the tamarind in the same bowl.
  • strain the tamarind pulp and keep aside.
  • soak dates in water for 4-5 hours in a small bowl.
  • with your hands, squeeze the pulp from the dates in the same bowl.
  • strain the dates pulp and keep aside.
  • heat oil in a small pan.
  • lower the flame & add pinch of cumin seeds and let them crackle.
  • add little ginger powder, half tsp of red chili powder, pinch of asafoetida, pinch of rock salt.
  • stir and add the strained tamarind and dates pulp
  • add half teaspoon of dry mango powder
  • cook for 2-3 mins.
  • add the jaggery and salt and cook for 4-5 mins more.
  • the mixture would thicken.
  • let the chutney mixture cool.
  • when cooled, store this Khatta-Meeta chutney in an air-tight dry jar or container.

Green Chutney:

  • grind asafoetida, coriander leaves, green chilli, mint leaves, salt to taste, two garlic cloves, pinch of rock salt, with little water.
  • remove and keep aside in a small bowl.

Cummin Seeds powder:

  • dry roast cummin seed on a pan.
  • allow it to cool and then crush it to powder.
  • keep it aside in a bowl.

Vada:

  • first rinse the urad dal for 3-4 times in water.
  • soak the urad dal in enough water overnight or for 6-8 hours.
  • drain and add the lentils in a wet grinder.
  • also add chopped green chilies, chopped ginger, cumin seeds & asafoetida.
  • add water in intervals and grind to a smooth thick batter.
  • take the ground batter in a bowl.
  • stir the batter briskly for a couple of minutes.
  • this makes the batter more light and fluffy.
  • add the raisins and chopped cashews along with normal salt to taste and 1/2 teaspoon of rock salt.
  • stir and keep aside.
  • heat a kadai or pan with oil for deep frying.
  • when the oil becomes medium hot, add spoonfuls of the batter in the oil.
  • don’t be in a hurry to turn them.
  • when you see the vadas becoming pale golden from the base and sides, you can turn them.
  • fry the vadas till they become golden and crisp.
  • take a bowl full of water.
  • add the fried vadas to the water immediately after removing from the oil.
  • soak them for 18-20 minutes.
  • take each vada and flatten and press between your palms to remove excess water.
  • place these vadas in the serving bowl.
  • whisk yogurt till smooth. add sugar, salt to taste, chat masala, and pinch of cummin seed powder.
  • pour the yogurt over the vadas.
  • top with the green chutney and katta-meeta chutney as required.
  • sprinkle the red chili powder, roasted cumin powder, chaat masala and black salt.
  • garnish dahi vada with chopped coriander leaves.
  • serve dahi vada immediately or refrigerate and serve later.
  • happy eating.