Dahi baray or dahi vada recipe features crunchy baray, fresh onions, boiled potatoes, boondi, aromatic herbs thrown in a bed of yogurt and topped with spicy and sweet chutneys and small crunchy chunks of flour.
The tangy, creamy, and utterly delicious Dahi Baray is a beloved street food across India and Pakistan.
But what if you could skip the line and whip up this iconic dish in your own kitchen?
With this easy-to-follow Dahi Vada recipe using besan (gram flour), you’ll be enjoying restaurant-quality vadas dipped in creamy yogurt in no time.
This recipe is perfect for anyone looking to:
Master a classic Indian snack: Impress your family and friends with your culinary skills by making this popular dish from scratch.
Explore vegetarian options: Dahi Vada is a flavorful and satisfying vegetarian dish packed with protein and spices.
Find a quick and easy recipe: With simple ingredients and straightforward instructions, you’ll have this dish ready in under an hour.
Get ready to dive into the world of Dahi Vada – fluffy lentil fritters bathed in creamy yogurt, and topped with a tantalizing blend of chutneys and spices. Let’s get started!
What is difference between dahi bhalla and dahi vada?
Many people get confuse about what’s the difference between dahi bhalla which are also known as dahi bhalla and dahi vada?
Let me tell you the secret. There is no difference.
These are just different names on the basis of regional variations.
In India people mostly call it dahi vada and in Pakistan it is known as dahi baray.
While in Punjab of both countries India and Pakistan dish is mostly known as dahi bhallay.
Why my dahi vada are hard?
Some common reasons why your dahi vadas are hard could be:
- You have Overmixed the batter. This develops the gluten in the batter, which leads to dense and hard vadas.
- You might have thicken the batter. A thick batter won’t fluff up properly while frying, resulting in hard vadas.
- If the oil is too hot, the vadas will brown quickly on the outside while remaining raw and hard on the inside.
- Soaking vadas for Insufficient time in water after frying can also leave the vadas hard.
How long to soak dahi vada in water?
Generally vadas and bhallian need at least 30 minutes of soaking in water to soften.
If you have prepared vadas with a thick batter, if your vadas are more thick and bigger in size, and if you prefer softer vadas you can soak them for even long time.
But do not soak them in water for much longer time this would make them mushy and lose their shape.
How to freeze dahi vada?
If you want to freeze dahi baray to save time you can prepare them according to the recipe and freeze them.
You would not mix all the ingredients just keep the things that would go in the yogurt aside and vadas and bhallian aside.
You can use fresh yogurt later on so, just do not freeze it.
To prevent sticking, you can flash freeze the vadas individually on a tray lined with parchment paper before packing them together.
Put bhallian and vadas in one container or bag and other ingredients in other bag and freeze them.
When you need to use them just leave the outside the freezer for about two hours and mix them with yogurt, season them with your favorite chutneys and enjoy!
What to do if Dahi Vada batter is watery?
Don’t worry, a watery vada batter can be easily fixed! Here are some methods you can try:
- You can add more lentil flour. Gradually add more flour and adjust the desired level of consistency of your batter.
- Suppose, now you are running out of lentil flour you can also add rice flour to your batter.
- If you are using lentils to make vada batter let the batter rest for some time. They may absorb some more water. It is not an option if you are using pre made lentil flour.
Always remember the best consistency of batter is when batter is thick enough to hold its shape but it still feels slightly fluffy.
Which daal is used for dahi vada?
The star of dahi baray is undoubtedly the lentil, which forms the base of these delicious vadas.
While variations exist, the most commonly used daal for dahi vada is urad dal which is also known as black gram.
But it is not necessary here are the lentils you can use to make dahi baray:
- Urad dal or black gram
- Chana dal or split bengal gram
- Dal Moong or split yellow mung bean
Dahi Baray Recipe Ingredients:
For the Vadas/ Baras/ Bhallas:
- 1 cup besan (gram flour)
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 tablespoon oil + for frying
- Water as needed
yogurt add ins:
- 2 cups plain yogurt
- 1 small sized Onion
- 1 potato
- half cucumber
- few mint leaves
- 1/2 cup water (adjust for desired consistency)
- Salt to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon roasted cumin powder
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili powder
For Garnishing:
- Tamarind chutney
- Green chutney
- Samosa patti (optional)
- Fresh coriander leaves
Making Dahi Bhalla:
- In a bowl, combine besan, baking soda, salt, red chili powder, and turmeric powder. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and mix well. Gradually add water, a little at a time, while continuously whisking until you achieve a thick batter consistency, similar to pancake batter.
- In a deep pan or kadai, heat enough oil for deep frying over medium heat.
- Once the oil is hot, drop spoonfuls of the batter into the hot oil, maintaining a round shape. Make 3 to bhallas. Fry until golden brown and cooked through. Remove and drain on paper towels.
- Now take vadas batter. Take spoon with small perforated holes in one hand over frying pan. In other hand take spoonful of batter and pour it over spoon so that it would fall in frying pan passing through holes of spoon. Fry them like vadas.
- Cut onion into thin slices. Throw some salt over it and squeeze it and wash with water. Cut cucumber from center lengthwise and cut into very thin slices.
Boil potato, peel it and cut it into small pieces like this:
- In a separate bowl, whisk together yogurt, water, salt, roasted cumin powder, and red chili powder until smooth.
- Now also add onion, cucumber, mint leaves, boiled potato.
- Soak the fried vadas and boondi in warm water for about 10-15 minutes to soften them. Then gently squeeze out the excess water and transfer them to the prepared dahi mixture.
- I am also using samosa patti for garnish. Cut them into smaller pieces like this and fry them. Fry them until they become crunchy.
- Throw them into yogurt mixture and put chutneys over it.
Your Dahi baray are ready.
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Dahi Baray (Dahi vada)
Ingredients
- 1 cup gram flour besan
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp red chili powder
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp oil +for frying
Yogurt add ins:
- 2 cups plain yogurt
- 1 onion small sized
- 1 potato
- few mint leaves
- ½ cup water adjust for desired consistency
- salt to taste
- ¼ tsp roasted cumin powder
- ¼ tsp red chili powder
For garnish:
- Tamarind chutney
- Green chutney
- Samosa patti optional
- Fresh coriander leaves
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine besan, baking soda, salt, red chili powder, and turmeric powder. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and mix well. Gradually add water, a little at a time, while continuously whisking until you achieve a thick batter consistency, similar to pancake batter.
- In a deep pan or kadai, heat enough oil for deep frying over medium heat.
- Once the oil is hot, drop a spoonful of the batter into the hot oil, maintaining a round shape. Don't overcrowd the pan. Fry until golden brown and cooked through. Remove and drain on paper towels.
- Now take vadas batter. Take spoon with small perforated holes in one hand over frying pan. In other hand take spoonful of batter and pour it over spoon so that it would fall in frying pan passing through holes of spoon. Fry them like vadas.
- Cut onion into thin slices. Throw some salt over it and squeeze it and wash with water. Cut cucumber from center lengthwise and cut into very thin slices.
- Boil potato, peel it and cut it into small pieces.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together yogurt, water, salt, roasted cumin powder, and red chili powder until smooth.
- Now also add onion, cucumber, mint leaves, and boiled potato.
- Soak the fried vadas in warm water for about 10-15 minutes to soften them. Then gently squeeze out the excess water and transfer them to the prepared dahi mixture.
- Cut samosa patti into smaller pieces and fry them. Fry them until they become crunchy.
- Throw them into yogurt mixture and put chutneys over it.
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Dahi Baray Recipe (dahi vada recipe): Final Words
Congratulations, energetic cooking adventurer!
You’ve embarked on a journey through the vibrant world of Dahi Vada, mastering the art of fluffy bhallas and creamy yogurt, and discovering the balance of flavors and textures that this dish offers.
As you savor the last bite of your homemade creation, remember that this is just the beginning.
The world of asian cuisine is vast and diverse It offers a vast variety of tastes and textures waiting to be explored.
From the fiery spices of the south to the rich curries of the north, each region boasts its own unique culinary treasures.
Let this Dahi Vada experience be a stepping stone, an invitation to delve deeper into the heart of asian cooking.
Experiment with different lentil varieties for your bhallas, explore the tangy depths of various chutneys, and don’t shy away from adding your own personal touch.
Perhaps a sprinkle of pomegranate seeds for a burst of sweetness, or a drizzle of mint chutney for a refreshing twist.
The possibilities are endless, limited only by your imagination.
As you continue your culinary adventures, remember that cooking is not just about following recipes.
it’s about creating experiences, sharing moments, and connecting with loved ones over a delicious meal.
So, gather your friends and family, embark on new flavor expeditions, and let the joy of cooking bring you together.
Share your culinary creations and discoveries! I’d love to hear about your Dahi Vada experiences and the other asian dishes you’ve explored.
Your feedback matters a lot to me.
Please comment below and ask me or tell me anything about recipes.
Connect with me on instagram and Facebook, and let’s continue this flavorful journey together.
Do not forget to explore onlyasianfood for more asian cooking masterpieces.
OMG! I have never tried fried samosa patti as dahi vada topping. I loved this idea. I am imagining how much mouthwatering dahi vadas would become with them.
[…] you are a fan of Indian cuisine you must try my Dahi baray. These lentil dumplings bathed in a creamy yogurt sauce are a true explosion of […]