Dahi Vada

[also known as Dahi Bade]

Difficulty: Easy | Prep Time: 1½ hrs | Cook Time: 30 mins | Yield: 12 pieces

INGREDIENTS
1½ cup Dahi (Curd)
½ tsp Bhuna Jeera Masala*
¼ tsp Chillie Powder
1 Green Chilli
1 tsp Coriander Leaves
Salt to taste

For the Vada
100 gms Urad Dal (While Lentils)
½ baking powder
2 tsp Salt
Oil for Deep Frying

For the Chutney
2 tbsp Imli (Tamarind)**
2 tbsp Sugar
A pinch of Salt
½ tsp Bhuna Jeera Masala*

DIRECTIONS

1. Wash and soak the urad dal for about an hour.
2. Now make a fine thick paste of the dal in a blender adding as little water as possible.
   
3. Add the baking powder and mix well.
4. Take a large bowl and fill it water (about a litre) and mix the salt into the water.
   
5. Now heat enough oil in a pan for deep frying the vadas. The vadas must be deep fried as it'll only make it softer and thicker.
6. Once the oil is hot take about 1 tbsp of the dal paste and put it into the oil. As the vada puffs up and turns golden brown on one side, flip and fry the other side as well till golden brown.
7. Take the vada out of the oil and immerse it into the salt water prepared in advance.
8. Repeat the same for the rest of the dal paste. You may fry 3-4 or more vadas at a time, as per your convenience.
9. Let all the vadas soak well in the water. This will make the vadas soft.
   
10. To make the chutney, in a pan, set about ½ cup water to boil.
11. Soak the imli in 2-3 tbsp of water, mix well and strain it into the boiling water. If you are using dry imli, then you'll need to soak it in a little more water for some time before use.**
12. Now add the sugar and a pinch of salt. Let this simmer on medium flame, stirring occasionally.
    
13. Once this sauce has thickened quite a bit, add the bhuna jeera masala, remove from heat and leave this aside.
14. The last thing to do before setting the dahi vadas is to prepare the dahi.
    
15. To prepare the dahi, in a bowl take the curd and about ½ cup water. Add salt according to your taste and beat this well. The curd should be smooth, not too thick or not too light.
    
16. To set the dahi vadas, take a flat serving dish, minimum 2” in height.
17. Take out the soaked vadas one at a time, squeeze the water out gently, and place them side by side on the serving dish.
18. Pour the dahi over the vadas, covering them fully.
19. Now pour the imli chutney over the vadas, ensuring that each vada has a little cutney over it.
20. Sprinkle the bhuna jeera masala and then the chillie powder all over.
    
21. Finally, finely chop the green chillies and the coriander leaves and garnish the dahi vadas with them.
22. Serve chilled.
    

NOTES
*For a tsp of bhuna jeera masala, take ¾ tsp of jeera powder and ¼ tsp of red chilli powder and dry roast them in a pan untill it turns dark brown in colour. Remove from heat as soon as it tends to become dark brown in colour or else it'll get burnt.
** You may use either wet or dry imli

Spicy Dahi Aaloo

Difficulty: Easy | Prep Time: 10 mins | Cook Time: 30 mins | Yield: 3-4 servings

INGREDIENTS
2 medium sized Potatoes
½ tsp Ginger Paste
½ tsp Garlic Paste
¼ tsp Kasoori Methi
¼ tsp Garam Masala Powder*
1 tsp Chole Masala Powder**
½ tsp Chillie Powder
2 Green Chillies
1 cup Dahi (Plain Yogurt)***
1 tbsp Oil
1 tbsp Ghee (Clarified Butter)
Salt to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Peel, wash and dice the potates into 1” cubes.
2. In a pan heat the oil and the ghee together and add the potatoes. Fry lightly.
3. Add ginger garlic paste, fry a little, and then add the kasoori methi, garam masala powder, chole masala powder and the chillie powder.
4. Add a little water and stir. Add a little salt and fry the masala with the potatoes till oil starts separating from the gravy.
5. Add the dahi.
6. Slit the green chillies into halves and add them to the pan as well.
7. Stir for a while and then add salt according to taste.
8. Add a little water and cover the pan.
9. Cook till the potatoes are cooked well.
10. Uncover and allow the excess water to evaporate. This is to be done till the gravy thickens a little and oil starts separating again.
11. Remove from heat.
12. Serve hot with steamed rice or roti.

NOTES
*Garam Masalo powder includes equal proportion of cardamoms, cloves and cinnamon grinded together.
**You may replace the chole masala with anything other similar variant.
***If the dahi is too soury in taste, then add about ¾ cup only.