Dahi vada or dahi bhalla is one of the famous street foods in North India. Simple when you have sweet chutney and green chutney in your hands. No onion no garlic chaat recipe.
I have tasted South Indian version of this – Thayir vadai. But not this version. Wanted to try for long time, but you know, making both chutneys never coincide and sometimes even curd will be my concern.
But this time everything clicked and I made this, also known as Dahi Bhalla. Being a chaat lover, sure enjoyed each and every bite.
Sure the South Indian version and this one has lot of difference taste wise and look wise… Both are delicious in it's own ways.
I never like my curd to be tangy. I love it fresh and good. But many like it tangy. Its your choice of taste, whatever way you like!
About
Dahi means plain yogurt. Vada is deep fried lentils batter. Deep fried vadas are soaked in hot water and added to a slightly sweetened yogurt. Top it with green chutney and sweet chutney. Refer ingredients for the recipes.
Why I soak in milk not in water?
It makes dahi vada more tasty and balanced. If the curd it too sour, it is not balanced. So instead of soaking in hot water, I soak in hot milk and avoid sweetening the curd as they usually do.
It works for me very well and quite happy with the results.
Dahi Vada recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup Urad dal whole
- ½ cup Curd
- ¾ cup Milk
- 2 teaspoon Green chutney
- 2 tablespoon Sweet chutney
- 1 tablespoon Coriander leaves chopped
- ½ teaspoon Red chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon Chaat masala
- Salt - As needed
- ½ inch Ginger
- 1 Green chilli
- Sev for topping
Instructions
- Wash & soak urad dal firstly for 3 hours. Grind it with ginger, green chilli using only very little water. Use Ice cold water for best results.
- Grind until smooth and fluffy. Mix with salt only at the time you are going to deep fry.
- Wet your hands and make small lemon sized balls.
- Deep fry in hot oil in medium flame until golden colour in all sides.
- Flip in between for even cooking. Drain in paper towels.
- Heat milk until its hot, no need to boil it and then take it in a broad bowl.
- Add little bit of salt and dunk in fried vadas.
- Let it get soaked. say 20 minutes or so. Turn over carefully in between.
- Beat curd until smooth.
- soak vada in milk for a balanced taste
- If you feel milk is more, drain it and mix required amount to the curd to make it runny(still thick) consistency.
- Add the curd to the soaked vadas and mix well. Mix required salt and let it set for ½ hour in fridge.
- top with whisked plain yogurt
- At the time of serving, arrange in plate, sprinkle green chutney, red chutney, coriander leaves, red chilli powder, chaat masala and lastly sprinkle some sev or boondi, pomegranates.
Notes
- You can just soak for 1 or 2 hours too and grind coarsely if you like textured vada.
- I use milk because, I love my dahi vada not to be so sour, if you want you can also do this in water.
- If using water, squeeze the excess water gently without breaking the vada..
- In case the vada batter is sticky or watery, add a tablespoon of rice flour and try refrigerating the batter for an hour.
- Always cook vadas in medium flame to ensure cooking in the middle.
- Add vadas to hot/warm milk or water to get soaked quickly.
- If it is too hot, vada might break. Also the vada should be firm enough to hold shape, too soft vada will break in soaked curd.
- Adding more water while grinding vada batter will make it too soft.
- Sev garnishing is optional, traditionally boondi is used for garnish.
Stepwise photos
1. Wash & soak urad dal firstly for 3 hours. Grind it with ginger, green chilli using only very little water. Use Ice cold water for best results.
2. Grind until smooth and fluffy. Mix with salt only at the time you are going to deep fry.
3. Wet your hands and make small lemon sized balls.
4. Deep fry in hot oil in medium flame until golden colour in all sides.
5. Flip in between for even cooking. Drain in paper towels.
6. Heat milk until its hot, no need to boil it and then take it in a broad bowl.
7. Add little bit of salt and dunk in fried vadas.
8. Let it get soaked. say 20 minutes or so. Turn over carefully in between.
9. Beat curd until smooth.
10. If you feel milk is more, drain it and mix required amount to the curd to make it runny(still thick) consistency.
11. Add the curd to the soaked vadas and mix well. Mix required salt and let it set for ½ hour in fridge.
12. At the time of serving, arrange in plate, sprinkle green chutney, red chutney, coriander leaves, red chilli powder, chaat masala and lastly sprinkle some sev or boondi, pomegranates.
Enjoy these sinfully delicious dahi bhallas/ vadas! I usually love more of Sweet chutney in this…
RENU
nice clicks looks yummy...rajeshwari
Nalini's Kitchen
One of my favorite chaat,looks so tempting...awesome clicks.
Saraswathi Iyer
My hubby's fav, tempting pics. Beautiful.
Premalatha Aravindhan
Wow very tempting click on dahi vada,Perfectly made...yum:)
Tina
Want one bowl dear..So perfect and yummy.
Divya Kudua
I've always wondered what the difference was between dahi bhalla and dahi vada except for the chutney it is accompanied with.Never mind,love them both:)).Have to try this-looks delicious!
Rashida shaikh
I like your presentation and wish I could grab that bowl. 🙂
Hamaree Rasoi
Just craving for it simply by looking at your post.Simply awesome dahi bhallas.
Deepa
Laavanya
I love both versions too... Wish I could get a plateful of that right now.
Anonymous
Soaking in milk - that's a new one for me. I prefer the curd less sour too, will use that tip.
Lovely pictures!
Suparna
hey Raks,
Yummmmmm...one of my all time fav.chats! beautiful clicks...
Vimitha Anand
Looks so creamy and gorgeous. Lovely clicks... Yummy snack
Anu
WOW!! Mouth watering. Love the creamy yogurt in vada.
Sudha Sabarish
OMG that's awesome,superb,fantastic and wat else to describe about dahi vada.Its just yummy.From the clicks i feel that u've become like an professional photographer.
Akila
Beautiful clicks and yummy recipe...
Aarthi
yummy vadai..i love this
ANU
OMG! you are making my mouth water instantly!...wow awesome pics..just wanna grab a bite!....very nice dear!
notyet100
It's been so long since I had this ,..looks yum,,
Shanthi
Tempting and feel like grabbing it
Shama Nagarajan
tempting pictures dear..yummy
Mona
Super Yummy!
Preeti Kashyap
perfect for summer!!!!
San
Yummylicious dahi vadas raks, the creaminess and the pics are so appealing.
R
they look so tempting, nice click!
Jay
wat a gorgeous treat..the flavors are just wonderful
Tasty Appetite
Shabitha Karthikeyan
Very nicely done !! Nice presentation and perfect clicks !!
Nagalakshmi V
the pics are very drool-worthy! amrith would gobble up that plate in one second!
Hema
Wonderful presentation, same here, even I do not like pulicha thayir..
Priti
Love this ....looks so yum
jeyashrisuresh
My co sister makes thayir vada in this way.Sounds delicious with mouthwatering chutneys.
Prathibha
Dahi bhalla is one of my favorite chaat..just love the taste..looks yumm
Aruna Manikandan
wow.....
looks very tempting raji 🙂
2nd click looks awesome .
Nisha
Soaking in milk is new to me
Chandrani
Dahi vada looks so gorgeous and yummy. Perfectly done, Dear.
Cuisine Delights
My Monthly Event - Spotlight : "Healthy Breakfast Ideas".
faseela
wow....yummy dahi vada....superb
Shama Nagarajan
hai dear...you have been tagged here : http://myhandicraftscollection.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/i-am-tagged-by-shobha.html
Spice up the Curry
lovely. this is my fav. you pic make my mouth watering.
Priya
Triple super like, u r killing me with ur clicks Raji.
Sharmilee! :)
I love this anytime..looks so creamy and yummy like the way I want...apdiye pass on the bowl 🙂 Nice pics!!
Rathai
You have one of the best food sites on the Internet, Raks! I haven't tried many North Indian dishes but you make them look so easy to make with your step by step pictures and instructions.
Apu
Yumm!! Love this in the summer heat!!
Gayathri NG
Looks colorful n delicious vada, soaking in milk sounds interesting....
Manju
Oh my...amazing...this is my all time fav!!! Really gr8 work!
Anonymous
Oh God Raks,
its 11.30 in the night and you are officially killing me with these pics. Lovely clicks and I love the shape of the vadas...so rounded and crispy. I would have definitely eaten a few before putting it in to the dahi! Love Love the sunshine in your kitchen!
Shobha
GEETHA ACHAL
wow...Tempting and colorful clicks...Always my fav...Thanks...
Vardhini
They have puffed up beautifully and looks yummy. One of my favorite dishes.
Vardhini
CooksJoy
Deeps @ Naughty Curry
they look superb, i love dahi wada 🙂
Poornima
Stumbled upon your blog. What a wonderful array of dishes. The ones I have tried are perfect so far. Thanks for sharing and I will be visiting frequently.
Maayeka
delicious and perfectly shaped dahi vada's ..super tempting clicks..loved it..
Nagashree
Favorite at home, I made this just last week, have it in draft. will post it soon. We love the plain version without the chutneys.
Anonymous
lovely
guru matrix
yummy...:) i love dahi vada...
Jitisha
how to make the green chutney?
Dalbir Sidhu
Great!! I will try making on diwali!!!
Mrs. Daniel
Please update recipe for KARA VADAI.
Ruman M
Perfect !
Haripriya Raghupathy
Looks yummy 🙂