Dahi Bhalle Chaat

Doi Bora/Dahi Vada or Dahi Bhalle is a very famous Indian street food. White lentil fritters are soaked in whisked seasoned yogurt and delicious chutneys and topped with some crunchy sev/gram flour fritters. I usually make a big batch of fritters and serve some for lunch or dinner and another day I make chaat with some salad ingredients. This recipe is more like a salad where soaked fritters/vadas are broken into small pieces, mixed with boiled peas, boiled potatoes, cucumber, apple (optional) onions and tomatoes, chilies, cilantro/coriander leaves and and some dry spices then drizzled with whipped seasoned yogurt, green chutney, tamarind chutney and topped with crunchy fried crackers and gram flour fritters. It can be served as a starter or just as a meal. 

Making Doi Bora/Dahi Vada & Dahi Bhalle time consuming. Sometimes I make ahead a few days before serving. I fry the fritters/vadas, soak  in water, drain  and refrigerate. I also make the tamarind and green chutney. They stay fresh in the refrigerator up to a week. Store bought fried cracker and gram flour fritters are great to use as toppings. This recipe makes about 10 flat and 17 small round fritters. I use either white lentil or both white lentil and mung bean to make the vadas.

Ingredients~
1/4 each cup white lentils  and yellow mung beans
1 pinch  fenugreek seeds
1 cup of water to soak the lentils
1 cups of vegetable oil 
2 cups of  water to soak the fritters
1/2 tsp salt

~ Wash both lentils a couple of times. Soak lentils and fenugreek seeds with 2 cups of water at least for 5 hours or over night.  Drain well and grind to a smooth paste using little water. Batter must be thick. So use water accordingly. 

Other ingredients~
1 cup boiled yellow peas, seasoned with little salt and black pepper
Some fried cracker
1 cup gram flour fritters/sev
1 big potato, boiled and cut into small pieces
1 big cucumber, cut into small pieces
1 big tomato, chopped
1 big apple, cut into small pieces(optional) 
1 medium onion, chopped
2-3 chopped green chilies 
1 tbsp lemon/lime juice

Toppings:
1 cup regular whole milk or 2% yogurt
1/4 tsp sugar(optional) 
A pinch of  black salt
~Whisk the yogurt with sugar and salt. Refrigerate until ready to assemble. 


Tamarind Chutney~
1/8 cup seedless tamarind, tightly packed 
1/2 cup water
One pinch each red chili powder and black salt 
1/4 cup jaggery or sugar as per taste

~Boil the tamarind, sugar and water in a medium sauce pan, then simmer over low heat until the mixture turns a medium thick consistency. Turn off the heat, cool it completely and sieve it through a strainer by pressing with a back of a spoon. Keep it aside.

Dry Spices~
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1/2 tsp coriander seeds
1/8 tsp red chili powder
1/4 tsp black salt


~Dry roast the cumin and coriander seeds till light brown and fragrant. Let it cool completely. Grind to a smooth powder. Mix with black salt and chili powder.

Method~
Bring 4 cups of water to a full rolling boil. Season with salt. Turn off the heat. Cover the pan to keep the water hot. Whip lentil paste with a metal whisk or electric beater until fluffy. 

Heat oil in a kadai or a pan on high heat. When it is smoking hot reduce heat to medium. Wait for a few minutes. Grease the front side a big spoon and the back of a teaspoon. Take one heaping tablespoon of lentil paste and place on the big spoon, then flatten the top with greased teaspoon or make a flat shape or take a small ice cream scoop for small ball shape. Drop fritters carefully into hot oil.

After a few minutes drooping the fritters turn the heat on high heat fry both sides for a minute and then fry on medium heat till medium golden brown. Balance heat adjustment accordingly. Drain and then in salty hot water for 30 minutes. Fry the rest of the feitters and soak. Remove from water and drain in a colander. Leave them to cool completely. 


Pour 1/2 yogurt mixture in a bowl, then place the fritters/vadas and cover them with the remaining yogurt mixture  for 30 minutes. Break fritters into small pieces and place on a mixing bowl. Add in boiled yellow peas, boiled potatoes, cucumber, lemon/lime juice, apple(optional), onions and tomatoes, chilies(as per heat tolerance), cilantro/coriander leaves and mix well. Pour whipped seasoned yogurt, green chutney, tamarind chutney and some dry spices as per taste. Give it a good mix. Serve in a bowl and drizzle with more seasoned yogurt and chutneys as needed. Break fried crackers into small pieces and sprinkle some broken crackers and gram flour fritters on top. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Happy Cooking!