Dahi Vada

This is a popular North Indian snack recipe. I guess, it's hard for anyone to resist these yummy black lentil balls in creamy white yoghurt, topped with  sweet  and sour chutneys. Well, whenever this exquisite dish has graced our dining table everyone at home has ended up craving for more...! Check it out for yourself :)

Preparation time - 4 hours of soaking.

Cooking time - 45 minutes to an hour.

Ingredients:

Black lentil (Urad dal) - 1 1/2 cup

Green chillies - 2

Ginger - 3/4'' piece

Asafoetida - 2 pinch

Cumin seeds -1 1/2 tsp

Water - 1/4 cup

Salt - to taste

Curd - 3 cups

Chaat masala - 3/4 tsp

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp

Roasted cumin powder - 1 1/2 tsp

Black salt - 1 tsp


For sweet chutney:

Dates - 1 cup, deseeded

Jaggery - 1/2 cup

Tamarind - 1/4 cup

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp

Coriander powder - 2 tsp

Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt - to taste

Method: 

1. Take the tamarind, jaggery and dates in a pressure cooker along with 1 1/2 cups of water. Mix well. Close the lid and cook for 3 whistles.

2. When the pressure is released, open the lid. Blend the mixture in a blender and strain if need be.

3. Pour it into a bowl, now add the coriander powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder and salt . Mix well.

4. Store in a container and refrigerate it.

For the green chutney:

Coriander leaves - 1 cup, roughly chopped

Green chillies - 2, roughly chopped

Sugar - 1 tsp

Lemon juice - 1 1/2 tsp

Grated coconut - 1/3 cup

Salt - to taste

Method: 

1. Mix all the ingredients and grind to a smooth paste using very little water.

2. Store in a container and refrigerate it.

Method for making vadas:

1. Soak the lentils for 3- 4 hours. Grind  the lentils along with ginger,cumin , green chillies and asafotida to a smooth batter using water when needed.

2. Take the batter in a bowl. Beat the batter well for a couple of minutes till the batter turns fluffy.

3. Heat oil in a kadai, when hot add spoonful of batter to the oil. Cook till the wadas turn golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

4. Take a bowl with water , now put in the vadas and let them soak for 15- 20 minutes. Take each vada and press the excess water out.

5. Place them in a bowl. Whisk the curds well till smooth. Pour it over the vadas.

6. Top it with the green and sweet chutneys according to your requirement.

7. Sprinkle red chilli powder,chaat masala, roasted cumin powder and black salt.

8. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Tip:
You can refrigerate the remaining vadas and use later.