Dahi Bhalle | Dahi Vada | How to make Dahi vada?


Dahi Bhalle!!! Dahi Vada!!! Dahi Bara!!!! all name takes us to only one dish that is " Soft dumplings of urad dal and topped with sweet curd and variety of chutneys". Dahi vada is one famous Indian street food category.

Dahi bhalle is famous chat dish in entire India. Chat dish is somthing like in one plate there is many taste and make you full in small quantity. "Kum me Jyada". Dahi Vada is one common cuisine but method of plating is different in different area of India. 

We use to hear by our surrounding people, Chat we cant make at home as like street vendor!!! Homemade Chat have not feeling and taste we eat at road side by 'thellawala'. Why is it so??? Are we not preparing food in proper way? Are you skipping key ingredients by thinking " its ok if dont have dont add"...."Taste matters with Perfection".....

Dahi vada is very delicious dish which has not only single taste!!! but it has sweet, salty, sour, spicy taste. This makes it is more special than any other chat!!!

Let me share recipe of Dahi Bhalle or Dahi Bara!!!! Follow Recipe without skipping any single ingredient and with passion and love towards your attempt.

What is Dahi Vada or Dahi Bhalle???

Oye...hoye hoye.(Typical accent of punjab for saying something good item)...Cool cool sweet curd and Fried and water squeezed Dumplings made with urad and Moong dal!!!!!  

Authentically, Recipe of Vada akka Dumplings's changes as per geographical agricultural crop availability and food habits. But for Dahi Vada, Main key ingridents for vada is Urad Dal and Yellow Moong Dal. 

I used to serve this chat dish to my guest on special festivals like Diwali and holi, why so???

speciality of this chaat is, you can prepare them a day before and keep them ready, at time of serving quickly start to top with curd, various chutneys and everyday Indian Spices.

Dahi Bhalle akka Dahi Vada is usually famous at North India, Specially at Delhi, Haridwar, Lucknow.

To make cotton sponge Dahi bara, there is different recipe in north India and South India. But common ingredient is "Urad Dal" for cotton sponge dumplings.

I strongly recommend do not use only urad dal for making Vada akka dumplings. Use Yellow Moong Dal along with Urad Dal. 

Benefit of using Moong Dal for Vada, First one, it is very much light to digest for stomach compare to make with only urad dal. and Second and most important benefit is Moong Dal softens vada more compare to use only urad dal.

Dal Portion Measurement for best cotton soft Vada is, 3 Part Urad Dal and 1 Part Yellow Moong Dal else 2 Part Urad Dal and 2 Part Yellow Moong Dal. both are best measurement for vada.

Vada is little time consuming but not much because once you will eat chaat your efforts will be fruitful.

Here I have taken 3 Part Urad Dal and 1 Part Moong Dal. Wash the dal 2 to 3 times and then Soak both dal separately for 3-4 hours.

List of Ingredients For Vada

1 Cup Urad Dal 

1/4 Cup Yellow Moong Dal

1/2 Inch Ginger

2  Green Chilly 

1 Tsp Cumin Seeds

1 Tbsp Raisins 

1/4 Cup Coriander Leaves

Oil to fry

Salt To Taste 


Ingredients for Soak Water 

1 Bowl regular water / Water and Chhash (Buttermilk can be mix with water that gives more nice flavour to vada)

1/4 tsp Hing

Salt pinch  


                            List of Ingredients for Dahi - Curd

3 Cup Thick Curd (Whisked)

3 Tbsp Sugar (else as per sweet taste)

1/2 Tsp Salt

List of Toppings

1/4 Cup Mint Chutney

1/4 Cup Tamarind Date Chutney

1 Tsp Dahi Vada Masala ( Roasted Cumin seeds, Red chilly powder, black salt, Coriander seeds, Black Pepper, Dry ginger powder)

1 Tbsp Raisins and Cashews 

2 Tbsp Fried Peanuts

1 Tbsp Saltes Boondi

2 Tbsp Fresh Pomegranate seeds 

1/4 Cup Sprouted Moong And Chana (Optional)

Freshly Chopper coriander 


Cooking Instruction For Vada

  • Wash the Urad Dal and Yellow Moong Dal 2 times and soaked into water for 3 to 4 hours minimum.
  • Check the dal if it is nice soaked, great go ahead!!! now drain water and wash the dal 2 times with water then add it into mixer jar for grinding with ginger, chilly. (For best result of vada batter use Wet Grinder. Because of stone grinding dal it will be more fluffy and soft then using mixer)
  • Add water in little quantity to grind nice paste not much thick nor thin. Thin batter will be difficult to make dumplings. on medium low heat otherwise they will not cook in the centre.
  • Now very important step. Do not skip this step, add batter into bowl and use your clean hand to whisk batter or else use whisker. Whisk the dal batter till it becomes fluffy till 4 to 5 minutes, it will change own colour.
  • Now take a small bowl, add half cup water and add drop of batter into water, if batter will float on water its fantastic nice fluffy if it is sunk then whisk the batter for while or else till it become fluffy.
  • Thin or runny batter will not become fluffy and thick batter will also not be fluffy. Batter consistency should be picky.
  • Now add, chopped raisins, salt, cumin seeds and chopped coriander and again mix it proper.
  • Batter is ready to fry small dumpling into oil.
  • Let the heat oil in to frying pan and along with keep 1 bowl with water to wet hands while adding taking small portion of vada batter and adding into oil. after 2 to 3 vada wet your hand little and make vada. which helps batter not to stick on fingers and process will be smooth.
  • Add small round dumplings into medium high heat oil. do not fry at high flame nor slow.
  • Important trick to fry vada on medium low heat otherwise they will not cook in the centre and will remain soft and unfried batter will be there when you will cut from middle.
  • let the fry dumplings until it become golden brown. Drain vada on plate and let it cool for 2 to 3 Minutes.
  • Meanwhile keep ready vada soaking water near by. After 2 to 3 minutes vada gets cool, add into water for 10 minutes.
  • After 10 Minutes squees it nicely between your palm lightly and arrange them in the serving plate if want to assemble as a time other wise squeezed vada can be keep aside in fridge for 1 day also.

 Assembling Dahi Vada

  • Whisk chilled curd and add sugar and salt as per taste. Little more sugar will give excellent taste.
  • Arrange squeezed vada in to serving plate, pour chilled whisk curd on vada as nicely cover all arranged vada.
  • Sprinkle Dahi Vada Masala.
  • Top with extra roasted cumin and chilly powder.
  • Top vada with Tamarind and coriander mint chutney.
  • Add few raisin, cashews, sprouted moong chana, Pomegranate and salted Boondi.
  • Garnish the plate with great garnisher "Fresh Coriander".
  • Keep the assembled plate into fridge for few hour.
  • Serve Dahi Vada into Plate with extra topping of chutneys.

Assembling Dahi Bhalle before 2 to 3 hours and keeping inside fridge will help vada and dahi to soak flavours of spices and chutneys. Preparing Chaat at home is not tough or tidious task but just need some tricks, passion and require very important medicine that is "Love your cooking whatever and whenever you cook" that will increase everything of your dish.

Suggestions are always welcome. Suggestions brings more perfection!!!!!

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