This south Indian version of Dahi Vada is a specialty of my mother in law’s and she makes it every Diwali. The yumminess of the tempering and the softness of the vadas in the dahi, make this a very special recipe for me!
Dahi Vada is the south Indian version of the chaat type Dahi Bhallas that you get in north India.
Actually, do you associate certain recipes and dishes with people? Like besan ladoo reminds me of a friend’s mum, kheer reminds me of my sister in law, sooji ka halwa reminds me of my mum and so on. And the person I always associate Dahi Vada with, is my mother in law!
I have grown up eating North Indian version of this called the Dahi Bhalla, with the sweet and spicy chutney that tastes and looks more like chaat. The south Indian version seems very similar and is yet so different. It surprises me how dishes seem to be so different in the same country and yet have a common thread weaving through them to remind us that we all are different and yet same in so many ways!
Apart from the fact, that I love eating the dahi vada which my MIL makes, she loves making it as well. It is her speciality and if she was given a choice, she would ensure that it made its way into every celebration menu, every festival feast. And Diwali specially doesn’t pass by without her dahi vadas.
Last Diwali, I asked her to teach me how to make them and today, I am sharing the recipe with you folks. Go on make your Diwali extra special with these dahi vadas. The crunchy vadas soaked in simple salted curd and tempered with curry leaves and chillies make this a delish dish!
Some other recipes which are special from my husband’s side of the family include:
Dahi Vada | Lentil Fritters in Spiced Curd
Ingredients
For the Vada
- 1 cup urad dal skinned whole
- 4 chillies dry red
- 5 - 10 peppercorn
- 1 onion medium chopped
- to taste salt
For the curd
- 1 cup curd
- to taste salt
- coriander leaves
For the tempering
- 1 tsp ghee /oil
- 2 sprigs curry leaves of
- 4 chillies dry red
- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
Instructions
- Wash and soak urad dal overnight.
- In the morning, drain water and grind along with red chillies and pepper till coarse. In the end, add the chopped onion and grind some more till the onion is well mixed,
- Leave the batter in the fridge for 5-6 hours to slightly ferment and rest.
- When ready to fry, take a little batter in hand and using a grease ziploc or plastic bag spread the batter and make a hole using your fingers.
- Deep fry in medium hot oil till golden brown. Set aside for cooling. Repeat for all the batter
- To assemble the dahi vada (curd and other quantity for 6-8 vadas), whisk together curd and a little water to make smooth and a little thin curd.
- Add salt and lots of coriander leaves to the same.
- In a small tadka pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds, curry leaves and dry red chillies to the same. Pour over curd and mix.
- In a small bowl, take hot water and dip the vadas in that for 30 seconds. Squeeze out the water. This also takes away excess oil from the vada and makes it lighter to eat.
- Slide the vadas in the prepared curd and repeat for all the vadas.
- Chill this for 2-3 hours and serve happiness in a bowl.
I follow my Mother in Laws Recipe too. They are melt in the mouth
Yummmmmm…I am trying from ages to make these delicious Dahi Vada, but i failed to make…Your Dahi Vada Recipe is too easy and quick.. Bookmarked for this diwali…! Thank you for sharing this.
You are welcome