Dahi Vada

I love dahi vada and so does my hubby. Growing up, my mother used to make dahi vadas quite often. My little one also likes it. Most restaurants and buffets will it as an appetizer but we like to eat it like a dessert! Its a very simple recipe. I have used tamarind-dates chutney here, the recipe for which I will post very soon. You could use the ready made "meetha" chutney also instead.

Preparation: 20 minutes (excludes soaking time)            Serves:4
Ingredients:

Urad Dal - ½ cupGreen chillies - 2-3
Ginger - a small bit
Asafoetida (hing) - a pinch
Salt - to taste 
Sugar - a pinch
Yogurt - 1 cup (whisked smooth)
Mint-Coriander Chutney - 2 tablespoons
Tamarind-Dates Chutney - 4-5 tablespoons
Roasted Cumin (Jeera) Powder - 2-3 teaspoons
Red Chilli Powder - 1 teaspoon
Oil - for deep frying
Warm Water - to soak the vadas

Method:

• Soak the urad dal in water for at least 3-4 hours.

• Rinse and grind it with green chillies and ginger into a smooth batter, adding very little water.

• Add a pinch of asafoetida and the required amount of salt and whisk it with a fork till it becomes soft and fluffy.

•  Deep fry small spoon fulls of this batter until they become golden brown.

• Drain them out on absorbent paper to remove the excess oil.

•  Soak these vadas in warm water for at least 45 minutes to an hour. 

• In the mean time, whisk the yogurt into a smooth consistency, adding water if required. 
• To this, add the mint coriander chutney, a pinch of asafoetida, a pinch of sugar and salt to taste

•  After about an hour of soaking the vadas, squeeze out all the water, taking care not to break the vadas, and immerse them in the yogurt.

• When you are ready to serve, place a couple of vadas with enough yogurt to cover them up in the serving dish. Sprinkle them with a little cumin powder and a little red chilli powder and drizzle some tamarind dates chutney over it.

Lip smacking dahi vadas are ready to be served!