Dahi / Thayir VADA

Total time is not inclusive of the time for soaking the dal (3-4 hours).

A cool and refreshing side or  snack. Especially useful during Ramadan.

The Recipe Intro includes more info on Dahi / Thayir VADA. Check it out.

For the Vada:

skinned urud dal		1 ½ cups
water, as needed		¼- ½ cup
green chillies to taste, sliced		1- 2
asafoetida /hing		½ tsp
cumin seeds		¼ tsp
salt or to taste		3/4 tsp
Oil - for deep frying		As needed,

For the dahi / thayir / yoghurt:

thick yoghurt. I prefer non homogenized yoghurt, which has a natural later of cream that is settled on the top of the yoghurt. This layer can be stirred back into the yoghurt or removed. It has a good sour factor too.		1 litre
milk - optional		¼ cup
roasted cumin powder		¼ tsp
salt or to taste		½ tsp
sugar - optional ( helps to balance the flavors)		1 tsp

For serving:

roasted cumin powder		As needed, for sprinkling:
red chilli powder		As needed, for sprinkling:
chopped green chilli, fresh coriander, ginger julienne		As needed, for garnish:
tutti fruity or sliced grapes. I love the addition of tutti fruity, personally		Optional sweet garnish:
sweet tamarind and date chutney, green chutney.		Optional chutneys to serve alongside:
'Kara Boondi' (crispy- savory chick pea flour balls snack) or 'Sev'		As needed,

Method:

For the Vada:

1. Rinse the dal and soak for 3-4 hours.
2. Drain the soaked dal and add to blender. First add only 1/4 cup fresh water and blend. Add just up to ¼ cup more water (as needed) to assist in friction-free grinding. The batter should be quite thick so don’t add too much water.
3. Transfer the batter to a bowl. Add the sliced green chilli, asafoetida and  salt. Stir to mix evenly.
4. Set aside the batter for a short while, for the flavors to ‘set in’.
5. Heat oil for deep frying in a small wok or kadai. The oil should not be too hot, or the vedas will get golden before they cook on the inside.
6. You will need a cup or bowl to dip your fingers. Wet fingers in this and scoop up a small amount of the batter. Make a hole in the centre of the batter , either with your thumb before slipping into the oil OR you can use a wooden chopstick to make a hole through the centre, as soon as the batter is dropped into the hot oil. This hole, assures even cooking through the vadas. If you don’t want to make the holes, that’s ok too (Dahi Bhalla)  but it’s better to keep your vadas smaller, in this case. Also if you just want a back shape you can drop them in with a spoon and dont need to use your hands.

For the ‘dahi’ / ‘thayir’/ yoghurt:

1. Add the thick yoghurt to another, large bowl and whisk till smooth. A little milk may be added to loosen slightly and reduce the sour tone.
2. Add cumin powder, salt and sugar to taste. Mix through.

Assemble:

1. While the vadas are still hot, put them all in a large bowl of water for a few minutes.
2. Remove each vada and press between your palms to gently squeeze out excess oil and soften a little.
3. Add the vadas to serving dish,  add some chopped green chilli and fresh coriander.
4. Pour the yoghurt mix over the vedas to cover them completely.
5. Garnish the top with ginger julienne,  more sliced green chilli and fresh coriander.

 

Dahi / Thayir VADA

 

Notes:

• My friend tells me to add raisins to the batter. It makes the vada’s even tastier with that element of surprise.
• I also sometimes soak the julienned ginger in sugar syrup the night before and this helps to balance the sour yoghurt too.
• If you have any tips and variations please let me know through the comments section.

Key Ingredients: Urud dal, Yoghurt, Spices, Green Chilli, Coriander, Oil, Salt, Sugar, Milk, Aasafoetida, Boondi.

Let me know if you tried it – Dahi / Thayir VADA.