Dahi Vada is a delicacy which is commonly on menu during festivals or while celebrating any special occasion. At our home, no festival is complete without appetizing Dahi Vadas prepared by Mom. The topping of sweet tamarind chutney on the Dahi Vada adds a unique flavour to the dish and makes it an extremely enjoyable one.
Ingredients for Dahi Vada:
- Split urad dal without skin – 1 cup
- Fresh yoghurt/curd made from 1/2 litre milk
- Sugar -1/4 teaspoon
- Oil for deep frying
- Salt to taste
- Roasted cumin seed powder – 1 teaspoon(For garnishing)
Ingredients for Sweet Tamarind Chutney:
- Tamarind (Imli) without seeds – 1/2 cup
- Red chilly powder – 1/2 teaspoon
- Sugar – 1/2 cup
- Garam masala – 1/2 teaspoon
- Kala namak(black salt) – 1/4 teaspoon
- Roasted cumin seed powder – 1 teaspoon
- Salt to taste(if required)
Servings: 22-25 Vadas
Preparation Time: 5 Hours
Method For Vada
Wash urad dal well with water and soak it for 3-4 hours. Drain and grind the dal to fine paste after adding about one cup of water. Add salt and mix well.
Put enough oil(300-350 ml) in a pan for deep frying. Once oil is hot, keep it on low flame. Now put the urad dal paste in the oil little by little forming small vadas (about 7-8 vadas at a time) and increase the flame.Turn vadas upside down smoothly once bottom side is brown. Fry till it becomes light brown in colour.
When all the vadas are fried, let them be cooled and then put in enough water for two to three minutes.
In the mean time, churn curd well in a bowl. Add sugar and salt, and mix well.
Squeeze vadas softly one by one after taking them out from water and put the vadas in curd.
Refrigerate so that curd does not get sour.
Method For Tumarind Chutney
Soak tamarind in little less than half cup of water for two hours. Mash tamarind in water and strain so that all pulp comes out.
Add half cup of sugar and leave it for 5 to 10 minutes.Now add all spices including black salt and mix well. Add salt if required.
Refrigerate the chutney.
Serving Dahi Vada
Take out the bowl of dahi vada from refrigerator. Hold the bowl with both hands and shake slowly(add little water or milk if required).Curd will come up and dahi vada can be taken out easily with a flat spoon.
Take out required quantity of vada in a dish or bowl and pour some curd over it.Spread tamarind chutney over vada and sprinkle little roasted cumin powder.
Tip: Left over chutney can be kept in refrigerator for a month and can be used with samosa,bhelpuri,khasta kachori etc. If chutney becomes thick, it should be mixed with little water to get the required consistency.