It's still Summer, the perfect time to have these chilled Dahi Vadas. Dahi Vada is a popular Indian snack that consists of soaking a savory lentil donut in yogurt and topping with a combination of sweet and spicy chutneys and some spice powders.
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Cool and refreshing! Just 2 words to describe this Dahi Vada.
Dahi Vada has been a favorite of mine since childhood, the soft vadas dunked in a sweet dahi (yogurt), what's not to love. And in a place like Goa which is always hot, the chilled vadas are always welcome.
Apart from eating cool stuff, how do you keep your cool?
A few months ago, I had posted the recipe for Medu Vada or Uddina Vada, that forms the base of this Dahi Vada. I never claim to be an expert or a chef, I am just a home cook who loves cooking and taking photos of food. But when I posted the recipe of Medu Vada on one of the Facebook Groups, a nasty man commented that it is okay for me to make misshapen vadas for home, but if I had to post it on Facebook, I should make them perfectly round. I was so upset when I read the comment, but Raj calmed me down and asked me to ignore it. And then I realized the power of women. By the time I woke up the next morning, a bunch of women had replied aptly to the man as well as asked me to continue posting. I haven't thanked each of those women personally, but I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of them once again. The way all the women got together and defended me, made me feel so special and loved.
It reaffirmed my belief that Food Connects People!
Also, it got me thinking, why we assign so much importance to perfection and detail. Why do vadas or laddoos have to be perfectly round? Why do we want perfectly concentric circles in our Chaklis?Why to vegetables have to be blemish free and shaped perfectly? While I got thinking about all this, it reminded me of watching Jamie Oliver talk about "wonky vegetables" and how that desire for perfection led to so much food waste around the world. As a food blogger, it is my job to make my food look as good as possible, but I would never resort to using food coloring or wax or any of the other tactics advertising companies use to sell food. So while my food may be imperfect in shape and appearance, I can assure, it is food that I eat as well as I serve to my family.
Deep thoughts, I know for a very light and refreshing recipe post, but I had to say it.
So don't worry if your food or your clothes or your hair doesn't look perfect. Own it! Ignore the bad and absorb the good.
Wishing you a Sunny day ahead!
If you like this recipe, do not forget to share it with your friends and family!
Video Recipe
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Dahi Vada Recipe
Dahi Vada is a popular snack in which a savory lentil donut is soaked in sweet and salty yogurt and then topped with sweet tamarind chutney, spicy green chutney and spice powders. Served chilled, this make a perfect summer snack.Recipe Type: Snacks, Breakfast
Cuisine: Indian
Prep Time: 4 Hours
Cook time: 60 minutes
Total time: 5 Hours
Yield: Makes 12 small dahi vadas
Ingredients:
1 cup Urad Dal
1 Tbsp Rice Flour
6-8 Curry leaves, finely chopped
1 Green Chilli, finely chopped
0.5 tsp Pepper, freshly crushed
A pinch of baking soda
500gms Yogurt
4-5 Tbsp Tamarind Chutney
4-5 Tbsp Green Chutney
1-2 Tsp Cumin Powder
1-2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
Salt to taste
Oil to fry
Water as required
Coriander leaves to garnish
Method:
1. Wash the urad dal and soak the dal in water for around 3-4 hours.
2. Drain the dal and grind into a fine batter. Use as less water as possible. The batter should be thick.
3. Heat oil in a kadhai to deep fry the vadas.
4. While the oil heats, add in the rice flour, green chilli, pepper, baking soda and salt. Mix well until combined. IF the dough feels watery, add a little more rice flour.
5. Once the oil is hot enough, wet your hands and take a spoonful of batter onto your fingers. Using the wet finger of the other hand, make a hole in the center. Watch the video for help on how to do this.
6. Gently drop the vada in the oil.
7. Fry on high heat for 1 minute, then lower the heat slightly and continue to cook until the vada becomes golden brown.
8. Now gently slide this batter into the oil. Stir the vada occassionally and flip it, so that it cooks evenly. Cook until golden brown on both sides.
9. Remove the vada from the oil and immediately drop in a bowl filled with water.
10. Gently immerse the vada in the water and let it soak for 30 minutes.
11. Meanwhile, whisk the yogurt (dahi) until smooth. Add in salt to taste. You can also add in a little sugar and a tempering of mustard seeds to the yogurt.
12. To serve, take 1-2 vadas and gently squeeze out the water and place in a serving bowl. Spoon over some of the yogurt (dahi) along with a little of the yogurt, top with a spoonful of tamarind chutney, green chutney and sprinkle cumin powder and red chilli powder. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve.
13. If planning to serve later, then squeeze out all the vadas and place in a large bowl, pour the yogurt on it and chill in the fridge. Top with the chutneys and spice powders before serving.
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