Soft and Creamy Dahi Vada Chaat

Soft and Creamy Dahi Vada Chaat

We Indians tend to have a special relationship with our typical evening snack. By the time 5 o clock comes around, having a cup of Joe all by its lonesome just does not cut it. We got to have something to munch alongside sipping the cup of tea/coffee. Personally, I do not drink tea or coffee but that has not stopped me from chomping on a little something at the appropriate time, something premade like biscuits, sev or chivda. But with a lot more time on my hands these days I decided to indulge in this tantalizingly inviting “Soft and Creamy Dahi Vada Chaat”, OR “Dahi Bhalla” as it is called in some parts of India.

TEA TIME SNACK.

There are no words to describe the bond between the average Indian and the evening snack. Just looking at the variety of options available makes you drool and pretty much tells the entire story on its own (CHUCKLES!!!). These options vary from state to state and more often from person to person. Some people prefer pastries while some prefer biscuits which can be dipped into the tea. When it is raining outside, we like hot and fried Batata Vada or Jalapeno Fritters as they are commonly known in India.

Dahi Vada Chaat
Soft and Creamy Dahi Vada Chaat

As for me I like something quick and easy to eat since I am usually at work or about to sit in class for the next 2 hours. However, the past couple of months has allowed me to pamper myself a little more since I have been working limited hours every day. I am home every day by 3-4 pm which means I have plenty of time to whip up something special more often than not.

It just depends on if I feel like going to the kitchen to cook or not i.e. how lazy I am feeling that day??/ (LAUGHS!!)

CHAAT CRAVINGS !!

Well, a couple of days ago I got in the mood to cook pretty early in the day. The moment I realized I could leave early I called up wifey and asked her to soak the urad dal (lentil) which were going to be ready for my masterplan when I reached home (CHUCKLES).

The masterplan in reality was pretty simple i.e. Dahi Vada which literally translates to fried lentil balls dipped in yogurt. This is one of the many chaat recipes found in India.

It would be unfathomable to even imagine any Indian dislike any of the different forms of chaat.

Dahi Vada Chaat
Soft and Creamy Dahi Vada Chaat

HOW TO MAKE DAHI VADA?

The first step involves soaking the lentils in enough water for a couple of hours. This tenderizes them so they are soft enough to be blended. Then drain the water and blend the lentils with jalapenos, cumin seeds (my personal preference) and seasoned with salt and pepper into a coarse paste by adding little water as possible. I added about 3 tablespoon of water to get my batter to the right consistency. The batter shouldn’t be too thick but should be ever so slightly runny. This step is extremely important to get fritters which are crispy on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside.

TIPS TO MAKE THE DAHI VADA BATTER.

  • Whisk the batter for 5 minutes until it is very light.
  • Take a glass filled with water and drop a small drop of batter in it. If the batter floats on top, it’s ready. If not, then whisk it some more.

Round balls of this mixture are then fried to golden brown perfection.

TIPS TO MAKE THE DAHI VADA SOFT.

  • Deep-fry spoonfuls of the batter in oil till golden brown. Let it cool.
  • Soak the vadas in water for 15 minutes.
  • Squeeze the excess water by pressing in between your palms

The fried dough balls are then dipped with yogurt which is where the recipe name comes from. Having come from 95 F weather outside I could certainly enjoy the cool and refreshing yogurt. To make the dahi vada sauce creamy and thick, I use whisked greek yogurt.

Chaat recipes tend to blast the palate with a lot of different flavors. So I topped mine with cilantro chutney, tamarind for some tang and red chilli powder for the spicy kick.

Finally I just sat back to enjoy the fruits of my labor which were simply DIVINE!!!!

CAN YOU MAKE DAHI VADA IN ADVANCE?

Yes you can make it in advance.

  • Fry the vada, allow it to cool and keep it in the refrigerator in a zip lock bag. Just before serving put it in water and follow the remaining steps.
  • The second option would be to complete all the prep and store in the refrigerator. The more the vada’s soak in yogurt, the better it tastes.

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Dahi Vada Chaat
Soft and Creamy Dahi Vada Chaat

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Dahi Vada

Soft and Creamy Dahi Vada Chaat

Rahul
Delectably soft lentil fritters soaked in creamy yogurt and topped with sweet & spicy chutneys. Who would’ve thought a simple dish like this could pack such an assortment of flavors?
5 from 4 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Assembly 5 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Snack
Cuisine Indian
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

Vada

  • 1 cup Urad Dal/Black Gram
  • 1 Green Chili
  • 2 tsp Roasted Cumin Seeds
  • ¼ tsp Baking Soda
  • Salt
  • Oil for frying

Topping

  • ½ cup Greek Yogurt whisked
  • ¼ cup Green Chutney
  • ¼ cup Tamarind Chutney
  • ¼ tsp Red Chili Powder
  • ¼ tsp Cumin Powder
  • ¼ tsp Chat Masala
  • ¼ tsp Black Salt

Instructions
 

Vada

  • Rinse and soak the urad dal in enough water for 4 hours.
  • Drain the water. Blend the urad dal, green chili and cumin seeds in a grinder to a coarse paste using very little water (I used 3 tbsp).
  • Transfer the batter in a bowl and whisk for 5 minutes until it is very light. Add salt, baking powder and mix gently.
  • Take a glass filled with water and drop small drop of batter in it. If the batter floats on top, it’s ready. If not, then whisk it some more.
  • Deep-fry spoonfuls of the batter in oil till golden brown. Let it cool.
  • Soak the vadas in water for 15 minutes.
  • Squeeze the excess water by pressing in between your palms.

Assembly

  • Assemble the vada in the serving plate and drizzle the yogurt on top.
  • Garnish with tamarind chutney and green chutney.
  • Sprinkle red chili powder, cumin powder, black salt and chaat masala evenly over it.
  • Enjoy immediately or keep it in refrigerator for few hours.
Keyword Dahi bara, Dahi bhalla, Dahi Vada


12 thoughts on “Soft and Creamy Dahi Vada Chaat”

  • 5 stars
    Rahul, thanks for introducing me to these beautiful snacks! They sound so tasty, with those lovely spices and then coated in creamy yogurt! I would love to dive right into that plate. What a lovely idea to have an evening snack!

    • Those spices and the creamy yogurt make for a terrific combination Laura. You do not need to just have it as an evening snack but eat it any time of the day.. That’s how deliciously addictive this is..

    • This Dahi vada is one of the street food delicacies in my home city of Mumbai Katerina. The cool yogurt combined with the various chutneys and the crispy vada creates an explosion of flavors on your palate.

    • Hey its great to meet another fellow chaat lover.. Chaat in India is so addictive that once you taste it you are hooked on to it for life.. Dahi vada is a recipe which is somewhat different because of the yogurt but by no means is it any less tastier..

  • 5 stars
    Thanks for the tips Rahul. I always wondered why my vadas do not turn soft even after adding yogurt. Now I know. My daughter loves Dahi vada. Will soak some urad dal now. I hope it turns out good

  • What a wonderful tradition to enjoy a snack later in the afternoon, I’m with you. This recipe looks so tasty. Your vadas look so delicious, Would the urad dal/black gram be available from an Indian supermarket. I’ve never seen them. Thanks, Pauline

    • In India the afternoon tea is never complete without an accompanying snack. I made mine a little too elaborate this time :). As for the urad dal then it is definitely available in any Indian store.

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