Fatima's Fabulous Kitchen

I don't eat to live. I live to eat.

Dahi Vada

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Dahi vada is the quintessential desi iftar comfort food; you’d be hard-pressed not to spot it at least a few iftar parties that you go to. It’s tangy, cool, fried yet not heavy, and full of amazing aromatics – thus making it the perfect dish to break a long day’s fast with.

There are different variations on the dish depending on where you are from. This is a Hyderabadi version and is my mother’s recipe.

As the name indicates, there are two key components to this dish – the dahi (yogurt) and the vada.

I start off by making vada. Vada are essentially soft fried little fritters. There are two main types of vada – one made with urad daal (lentil) and the other with besan (chickpeas flour). This time around I used chickpea flour, although urad daal makes a killer vada as well.

I take some chickpeas flour and add in some spices/salt (cumin, coriander, chilli powder, fennel powder), ginger-garlic paste, along with some cilantro, green onions, and curry leaves. I mix in some water along with a pinch of baking powder until I get the consistency of thick pancake batter.

I then take spoonful’s of the batter and fry them up until they are a lovely golden brown.  They will puff up and should be airy and light in texture. I then add the vada into dahi that has been thinned out with water.

But this dish is not just fritters dipped in yogurt. Instead, I add in a bit of garlic and temper some oil with some brilliant aromatics – mustard seeds, cumin, dried chilies, curry leaves, asafoetida. I then add that on top of the yogurt. This step right here is what makes this dish so phenomenally, mouth-watering good.

This dish is special in my household because it is only made in Ramadan. It’s delectable and comforting and if you plate it right, it can definitely be a visual show-stopper as well!

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Dahi Vada

Ingredients

Vada (fritters)

  • 1.5 cup chickpea flour (besan)
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp chilli powder
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp coriander
  • 3/4 tsp fennel powder
  • 1/8 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 cup cilantro
  • 1 green onion
  • 3-4 mint leaves optional
  • 1 - 1 1/4 cup water
  • 3-4 cups oil for frying

Dahi (yogurt)

  • 3 cup yogurt
  • 2 1/2 - 3 cup water (or to taste)
  • 1 tbsp salt (or to taste)
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 serrano pepper (optional)
  • 1.5 tbsp oil
  • 3/4 tsp cumin seeds
  • 3/4 tsp mustard seeds
  • 6-7 dried ancho chilies
  • 6-8 curry leaves
  • 1 pinch asoefitida

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, add in your chickpea flour along with your spices and salt. Whisk and combine. (Don't add the baking soda just yet.)

  2. Chop your cilantro, mint, green onions, and curry leaves. Add and combine to flour. 

  3. Slowly add in your water and mix. You want the mixture to attain the consistency of pancake batter (thick but still a little runny). 

  4. Let batter sit for 30-40 minutes. Before frying, mix in the baking soda.

  5. In a wok or heavy-bottom pot, add in your oil. Allow it to reach a temperature of about 350 F. 

  6. Add a few heaping tablespoon full of batter to your oil at a time. Fry until golden brown. The vadas should puff up. If they are taking too long, increase your heat and add less. If they are frying up quickly they will be raw on the inside. Lower the heat and/or add more vadas to the pot. 

  7. Remove with a slotted spoon and let it sit on a plate lined with paper-towel. 

  8. Add vadas to some warm water for 10-15 minutes. Let them soak a bit so they turn soft.

  9. Now work on your dahi (yogurt). Add your yogurt to a large serving bowl or tray with higher sides. Add water depending on how thin or thick you want your dahi mixture to be. Add salt to taste (this will depend on how much water you add as well - thicker mixture will require less salt). 

  10. Finely mince the serrano chili and garlic and mix. (You may also whiz it up in a food processor or electric grinder.) Remove vada from water and add in to the yogurt and make sure each one is soaked. 

  11. Before serving, temper your oil. Start off by having all your ingredients ready - curry leaves, dried ancho chilies, mustard seeds, and cumin seed- and set them aside.

  12. In a small frying pan or pot on medium heat, add in your oil and then your cumin and mustard seeds. Once they become fragrant and start to pop (after a minute or two), add in your dried chilies and curry leaves. Remove off heat and stir around for thirty seconds. Make sure nothing burns. 

  13. Spoon immediately over the dahi vada. Be careful not to let the hot oil splatter on yourself.

  14. Your dahi vada is ready to serve!