Indian festivals and celebrations are incomplete without this mouth watering delicacy called dahi vada or dahi balle. Specially in north India festivals like holi and Diwali are incomplete without cool and tasty dahi vada. Small fried udad dal balls soaked in sweet curd with tangy chutneys and a generous sprinkle of masalas is a sign of a good dahi vada. So, here’s an easy recipe for the same.

Ingredients

Udad dal – 1 cup

Ginger – small piece

Green chilly – 1 no

Salt – as per taste

Water – to soak the vadas

Oil – for frying

To assemble the dahi vada

Beaten curd – as required with a tsp of sugar

Sweet chutney – made of tamarind, dates and jaggery with few spices like fennel, red chilly powder and roasted cumin powder

Green chutney – made with mint, coriander leaves, green chilly, cumin seeds, salt

Black salt / chaat masala

Roasted cumin powder

Chilly powder

Coriander leaves

Sev or boondi or pomegranate (Optional)

Method

1. Soak the udad dal for at least four hours or you may even soak it overnight.

2. Grind the udad dal to a smooth batter without adding too much water. You may add the ginger and green chilies while grinding.

3. Once ground well add salt and mix it vigorously for five minutes till the batter becomes fluffy. Take small portions and add it to hot oil and fry it on a slow flame till done.

4. Keep a bowl of water ready with a teaspoon of salt. Drop the vadas into the water and soak for ten minutes. Then remove each vada and squeeze the excess water. Set them in a plate. Add well beaten curd, sweet chutney, green chutney and sprinkle chaat masala, roasted cumin powder, Red chilly powder, some sev and enjoy.

TIPS

1. Use whole white udad dal. Using them would give soft vadas.

2. You may use the same batter and make menu vadas too.

3. Mixing the batter vigorously is a must to get soft vadas. Mix it clockwise.

4. Curd should be beaten well with sugar without any lumps. Serve cold.