This is one of the very famous Indian snacks—the soft texture of lentil-based dumplings and yoghurt's excellent, creamy taste. This staple in festivals, as well as special occasions, is relished for its refreshing flavour profile. Dahi Vada is made from vadas, deep-fried to golden perfection from a base of urad dal. Once fried, the vadas are dipped in water to soften them before being plunged into fresh yoghurt. The recipe of Dahi Vada is quite simple. However, some preliminary preparation is required. The urad dal has to be soaked for several hours. Then, a batter has to be prepared by grinding it. That batter is seasoned with cumin, green chillies, and ginger to give it more flavour. Then, the vadas are soaked in water after getting fried. We will now whisk chilled yoghurt with salt and sugar. Pour this over vadas. Added spices will be a pinch of roasted cumin powder, red chilli powder, and tamarind chutney. This dahi vada recipe is no different from all the rest. The soft, spongy texture of the vadas is perfectly contrasted by the creamy yoghurt. Indulgent in every measure, this is bound to have a tang of yoghurt, the sweetness of tamarind chutney, and the warmth of spices. Enjoy this Dahi Vada recipe.

• 200 gms urad dal
• 500 gms curd
• Hing
• Chaat masala
• Sev
• Coriander leaves
• Ginger
• Red chilli powder
• Green chutney
• Tamarind chutney
• Mustard seeds
• As per taste salt
• Cumin seeds
• Sugar
• Cumin powder
• Cooking oil

• Soak 200 gms of urad dal in water for about 4-5 hours or overnight and clean; squeeze out the excess water when it is thoroughly soaked and absorbent, and grind it to a paste.
• A little water can be added during the grinding stage to achieve the required consistency.
• The batter needs to be thick and fluffy, which will lighten the vadas.
• Add salt according to taste and then whisk the batter for some minutes, and that's an essential step because it incorporates air in it;
• This allows the batter to foam, and the vadas are going to be very soft and fluffy after they get fried.
• Deep fry the vadas with inadequate oil in a deep frying pan or kadai.
• It is to be noted that the oil must be heated to the correct level so that your videos will get fried out to be golden and crispy. Wet your hands a little so that this batter does not stick to them.
• Now take a small quantity of this one and make a round ball. Flatten it a little and slightly poke a small hole at the centre to get a doughnut-like shape.
• The traditional doughnut makes sure that the vada gets evenly cooked.
• Slide the shaped vada gently into the hot oil and fry it on a low to medium flame until it turns golden brown.
• Fry about 3-4 vadas at a time, which can be according to the size of your pan so as not to crowd the pan.
• Once fried, take them out of the oil and place them on paper towels so excess oil can drip.
• Fry the vadas in warm water for 10-15 minutes so they may become soft, therefore making it easy to soak up yoghurt.
• This way, the vadas will be soft and tender, hence prone to absorbing the yoghurt. While doing so, prepare the yoghurt mixture by soaking it in vadas.
• Take another bowl and whisk the 500 gms thick yoghurt or dahi to a smooth and creamy consistency.
• Add salt and sugar to taste and water to make the dahi a little runny.
• The yoghurt should be seasoned well to complement the vadas.
• When the vadas are tender, wring them out gently and squeeze as much water as possible. Then, put it in the yoghurt mixture.
• Soak the vadas in curd for at least 30 minutes so that they imbibe all the flavours and become tender and soft; the longer they are soaked, the more savoury and tastier they will be.
• Serve them by arranging those yoghurt-soaked vadas on a serving plate. Pour tamarind chutney as a sweet and tangy contrast to the smooth curd.
• Sprinkle roasted cumin powder, red chilli powder, and chaat masala over vadas for a burst of flavour. Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves and sev (crunchy chickpea noodles) for added texture and colour.
• This Dahi Vada recipe is a celebration of textures and flavour: the soft, fluffy vadas soaked in a dollop of creamy yoghurt and mixed with tangy, spicy, sweet toppings.
• Whether part of an appetiser or a snack, this dish will surely be refreshing and quite irresistible. Dahi vada would be in the right place anytime, including festivals and special occasions.