Dahi Vada

Before You Start

Soak and squeeze. It is not optional.

The float test decides whether they will be light.

Two hours in the yoghurt at least; overnight is better.

Cooking Dahi Vada

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1. Soak the urad dal in cold water for 4 hours, then drain.

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2. Grind with the ginger and chillies to a thick fluffy paste, using as little water as possible.

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3. Beat in the salt and whip the batter hard for 4 minutes, until a spoonful floats in water.

   Mark done Start 4 min timer

4. Heat the oil to 170°C / 340°F and fry spoonfuls of batter in batches for 4 minutes, until deep gold. Drain.

   Mark done Start 4 min timer

5. Put the fried vada in the warm water and soak 20 minutes.

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6. Lift each one out and squeeze it gently between your palms to press the water and oil out.

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7. Whisk the yoghurt with the sugar and yoghurt salt until smooth and pourable.

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8. Arrange the squeezed vada in a shallow dish and pour the yoghurt over to cover.

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9. Refrigerate 2 hours.

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10. Spoon both chutneys over, dust with chaat masala, cumin and chilli powder, and scatter the coriander and pomegranate over.

    Mark done

Related guide: Prep, cook and total time.

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What's Going On Here

Soak the fried vada in warm water for twenty minutes and then squeeze each one gently between your palms. It sounds destructive and it is the whole technique: it pushes out the frying oil and leaves the vada able to drink yoghurt instead. Skipped, they stay heavy and greasy and the yoghurt sits around them rather than in them.

Leftovers, Reheating and Keeping

Keeps 2 days refrigerated in the yoghurt and improves overnight.

If You're Missing Something

• Dried chilli flakes can stand in for the green chillies. Heat varies a great deal between chillies and between jars, so start with a small pinch and add more to taste.
• If you only have ground ginger, a quarter-teaspoon for each tablespoon of fresh is the ratio usually given; it tastes warmer and less bright than the fresh root.

Serving Dahi Vada

• Samosa chaat
• Masala chai
• Extra tamarind chutney

Still Wondering?

Dahi Vada Nutrition Facts

No nutrition figures are given for this recipe: they cannot be worked out reliably from its ingredient list (how much frying oil the food takes up cannot be known from the recipe). Why some recipes have none.

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