Dahi Barra Chaat Recipe | Dahi Vada Recipe

Soft, fluffy, juicy, melt in mouth fried lentil dumplings dipped in chaat flavoured creamy yogurt and garnished with freshly chopped green coriander, sweet and sour and spicy chutneys!

I don't remember since when I fell in love with this absolutely mouth watering, filling and refreshing chaat but this is one of those dishes I really crave for if haven't had for it for two weeks lol. When we were in junior college a few years ago we used to frequently visit this small upmarket place famous for their dahi vadas, dahi batata puri, idli dosas and many other vegetarian delicacies though it would dig a hole in our pocket as we had to adjust everything in that limited pocket money but swag ya know! 😎 Ahh those were the days lol. But as I grew up I started learning to cook though initially it was just my favourite food and later on everything that sounded interesting. And till date learning to cook, bake and develop new recipes and yep! I end up creating mess in my kitchen most of the times rather than creating a recipe. 😆😆

So end of the story is, one fine day, I learned to make perfect dahi vadas! Something similar to that place near college. After first few failed attempts, it was a huge victory! Now I don't have to go anywhere to satisfy my cravings. In fact, now it is my go to party food item as a chaat and Alhamdulillah it was always a hit. I have got special requests to make this at dawats and parties 😁😄😄

Dahi Barra Chaat Recipe | Dahi Vada Recipe:

Ingredients:

To Make Vadas:

• 1 cup white dal (black gram/urad)
• Salt as per taste
• Water for soaking the dal
• Oil for deep frying

For Dahi:

• 2 cups greek style yogurt
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• A pinch of kala namak (rock salt)

For Sweet and Sour Chutney:

• 1/2 cup tamarind pulp
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons water

For Spicy Chutney: (optional)

• 2 tablespoons chopped green coriander leaves
• 2 tablespoons mint leaves
• 1 green chili
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

For Garnishing:

• Chaat masala
• Chili powder
• Nylon sev
• Coriander leaves
• Chilli powder or flakes

For Tempering (optional):

• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 2-3 whole dried red chillies

Method:

1. Wash and soak the dal for 2-4 hours. Then drain and grind to smooth paste without using any water or very less water.

2. Take the paste in a mixing bowl and add salt. Mix well so that the mixture becomes fluffy.

3. Heat oil for deep frying. Check if the oil is hot enough by putting a drop of prepared batter into the oil and see if it comes back to the surface. Now drop the mixture using spoon to make small vadas. Fry till golden in colour then remove on absorbent paper. You can put the vadas in water as well for some time then squeeze out all the moisture and keep in a plate. But I don't do this rather I prefer draining all the oil in absorbent paper.

4. Beat yogurt adding salt, sugar and Kala namak. Keep it in fridge till the time to serve.

5. For making tamarind chutney, take tamarind pulp in a small pan add salt, sugar, water and red chili powder and cook till boil then simmer for a couple of minutes till thickens.

6. Grind the coriander leaves, mint leaves and green chili adding very little water to make green chutney. Remove in a bowl and add salt.

7. Arrange vadas in serving dish. Pour the prepared yogurt over vadas. Then garnish with sweet chutney, green chutney, chaat masala, chilli powder, nylon sev and freshly chopped coriander leaves.

8. If you like bagara dahi barray, the heat oil in tadka pan and add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, red chilies and let them crackle and then immediately pour over the prepared dish. And serve!