Dahi Vada (Lentil Dumplings in Sweet Yogurt Sauce)

Know What You Eat: Dahi vadas are lentil (urad + Moong dal) based savory balls originally deep fried in oil, for a healthier version try using the baked method, or use an appam pan with using just a teaspoon of oil for each fritter...these vadas are then covered with frothy fresh yogurt sauce and sprinkled with spices like chili pwd, roasted coriander-cumin pwd, chaat masala, black salt and garnished with Sweet Tamarind & Green chutney along with Fresh Cilantro/Mint leaves.
Lentils Give You Energy to Burn While Stabilizing Blood Sugar & Iron for Energy
In addition to providing slow burning complex carbohydrates, lentils can increase your energy by replenishing your iron stores. Particularly for menstruating women, who are more at risk for iron deficiency, boosting iron stores with lentils is a good idea--especially because, unlike red meat, another source of iron, lentils are not rich in fat and calories.

 

Appam Maker

Ingredients:

For Vadas (Fritters)

1 C Urad Daal (Black lentil without skin) (Soak 4-5 hrs)
1/2 C Yellow Moong Dal Soak 4-5 hrs)
1 Tsp Grated Ginger
1/2 tsp green chilli paste
Few pinches of Black pepper powder
A Pinch of Hing (Asafoetida)
Salt to taste
Oil For Deep Frying OR  3Tbps OF Oil for fritters if making in appam maker


For Yogurt Sauce:
2 C Fresh Beaten Yogurt
2 tsp. red chilli powder.
1 tsp. roasted cumin powder
1 tsp roasted corriander powder
3 tsp. Sugar ( I make it on a sweeter side as it is liked in our fly..)
1 tsp chaat masala powder
1 tsp black salt
Salt to taste


For Green chutney:
2 Tbsp Chopped Cilantro, (Coriander)
6 green chillies
salt & lemon juice.
Blend all the above to a fine paste & reserve

Sweet/sour chutney:

1 C Tamarind extract
1/2 C Pitted Dates
1 Tbsp Brown sugar
2 tsp Cumin Powder
2 tsp Chilli Powder
3 tsp Oil
Salt to taste


Preparation of Chutney: Boil the above till they reduce by half & cool. Grind /Blend it to smooth consistency. OR now a days wide range of readymade chutneys are also available...use that..to avoid long process..

Method:

1. Soak the urad + moong dal in a bowl of water overnight or 4-5 hrs. Grind it into a paste adding green chilli, ginger, salt, blackpepper pwd & hing...
2.  While you put oil to heat for the vadas...lets make the yogurt sauce ready...Take the yogurt in a bowl/ container add, sugar & salt from yogurt sauce ingredients..and beat it well... Keep it aside in a fridge for a while..2. Heat oil about 375 Degrees F in a wok to make dumplings out of this batter..Now take about a tablespoon of batter and give it the shape of vada (Doughnut shape or round). Drop the vadas slowly into hot oil and deep fry them in medium heat and then high flame until it becomes golden yellow. Take out the vadas & let is semi cool for a min, after that transfer it in a large bowl / container having luke warm water and let it soaked until you are ready for with a second batch (approx. 4-5 mins..
3. Take out the vadas from water and Squeeze so as to remove the excess water from it. Arrange them in a serving bowl / deep dish and pour the curd mixture evenly so that all the vadas get drowned completely in this yogurt sauce.
4. Chill the vadas before serving. At the time of serving place 3 - 4 vadas in a small plate and garnish with red chili powder, chaat masala powder, cumin-coriander powder, black salt, fresh coriander leaves and finally tamarind and or green chutney.

 Making fritters in Appam Maker:

1. Follow Step 1.
2. For step 2, Using a ice-cream scoop pour the batter in appam maker, apply a tea spoon of oil for each fritter, turn these fritteres on both sides for even cooking. Once done follow step 3 and so on..

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