DAHI WADA – SOFT AND MELT IN THE MOUTH

Dahi wada ( da are one of the oldest snacks enjoyed in many regional Indian cuisines, they are equally loved in north as well as south India . Because of the cooling effect of the curd on our body dahi wada are traditionally consumed during the hot summer months.

You can watch the full video in hindi here –

 

They are specially eaten on the festival of holi, which marks the beginning of the warm spring- summer months.

Make soft and fluffy Dahi wada ?

All of us love spongy and soft dahi wada that disintegrate in the mouth in the very first bite. But more often than not we end up with chewy, hard and rubbery wadas that have not absorbed any curd and are totally dry and tasteless.

Dahi wada ( dahi bhalla ) are made from either urad dal or moong dal or a combination there off. I always prefer to make dahi wada with urad dal as that is the taste and texture I prefer. You can use half urad + half moong dal ratio as well. But don’t exceed moong dal beyond this measurement as I have observed that moong dal wadas are slightly drier and may also turn hard more easily.

I am not using any chemical leavening agents like baking powder, ENO or cooking soda to make the wadas soft and fluffy.

So how am I making fluffy dahi wada ( dahi bhalla ) ?

The secret here is to whisk the urad dal batter till it is light and airy. Urad dal is naturally sticky and easily traps air in its elastic web. Just be careful to add water little by little while crushing the dal so that it doesn’t become too runny. You will need to whisk the batter by hand or with a hand whisk for atleast 10 mins to get a very airy batter. You have to whisk it till it becomes lighter in colour. My secret tip to avoid this unnecessary elbow grease is to use the hand beater machine . In just 2 mins the batter will become super fluffy and ready to fry. A correctly prepared batter will float as soon as it is dropped in the oil and also increase in size slightly.

Once the batter is ready another crucial step is the frying. To avoid getting raw uncooked center in the dahi bhalla, it is important to fry them at medium temperature till they are golden brown. If they are fried at high temperature then the exterior will get cooked but insides will remain raw. In sweet shops, huge and deep frying pans with lots of oil are used for frying. As the quantity of oil is more it is easier to control its overall temperature. At home we cannot use large frying pans and lots of oil as it will cause unnecessary wastage. So to counter that, it is better if you fry small sized wada. This way you can ensure that they are cooked evenly.

To make the wadas soft soak them in water, before marinating them with curd. Let them cool before soaking them so that the cooking procedure is complete. Urad dal wadas are generally soft so I soak them in room temperature water. If you feel that your wadas are a little rubbery, you can also soak them in hot water. Always soak moong dal wadas in hot water to soften them thoroughly.

Freshly set thick curd is one of the most important ingredient for this recipe. So don’t use old or sour curd, or else taste will not be satisfactory. My dahi wada special masala takes this dish to the next level, and it is so easy to make too !

Just top these dahi wada with some tangy mint coriander chutney, my special masala and khajur imli wali chutney and enjoy them chilled !!

For other snack options you can also try my A1 samosa recipe or my cheese Kurkure recipe !!

To learn how to make Delicious EGGFREE Brownies, Home Baked Bread , and more from me, check out details of my online courses in the following the link :-  Click Here

Print