May 31, 2020

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.

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.

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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If you like this recipe here are few more Chaat recipes for you to try.

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