Dahi Vada Recipe, with Imli Chutney

Some recipes are more than just food — they don’t need a special occasion. I still remember the excitement of seeing dahi vada in a big bowl. Yum!!!

The perfectly tender vadas with chilled yogurt, sweet imli chutney (tamarind) and a touch of spice on it. It was a burst of contrasting flavors — cool, creamy yogurt with sweet chutney and a hint of spice.

And the best part? Making it at home is easier than it looks.

Thoughtsout
Serve it from a big bowl. That first look — white yogurt, dark tamarind, a pinch of spice — is half the joy.

Ingredients

For the vadas

• 1 cup split and skinned black gram (urad dal)
• 1–2 green chilies, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• Salt to taste
• Oil for deep frying
• Water as needed for grinding
• A bowl of room-temperature water, for soaking the fried vadas

For the yogurt

• 2 cups thick fresh yogurt (dahi)
• 1–2 tablespoons sugar
• Salt to taste
• 2–3 tablespoons water, only if the yogurt is too thick to pour

For serving

• Sweet tamarind chutney (imli chutney)
• Green chutney (coriander-mint)
• 1 teaspoon roasted cumin powder
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon chaat masala
• Fresh coriander leaves, and pomegranate seeds if you have them

Method

1. Rinse the urad dal until the water runs almost clear. Soak 4–6 hours, or overnight.
2. Drain well. Grind to a thick, fluffy batter. Add water only 1 tablespoon at a time. Mix in green chilies, ginger and salt.
3. Whisk 2–3 minutes until light. A small bit of batter should float in water. If it sinks, whisk more.
4. Heat oil on medium. Wet your fingers, slide in lemon-sized portions. Do not crowd the pan.
5. Fry until golden, about 4–5 minutes. Not dark brown. Drop them into room-temperature water.
6. Soak 15–20 minutes. Press each vada gently between your palms. Soft, not broken.
7. Whisk the yogurt smooth with sugar and salt. Lightly sweet, a little salty. Keep it cold.
8. Lay the vadas in a big bowl. Pour yogurt over so every one is covered.
9. Drizzle sweet tamarind chutney and green chutney. Sprinkle cumin, chili and chaat masala. Coriander and pomegranate on top. Serve at once.

Common mistakes

Thin batter drinks oil and the vadas go flat. Frying until dark brown dries the centre. If the yogurt is very sour, a pinch of sugar is enough — the imli chutney is already sweet.

Questions people ask

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