Are you ready to add some color to your taste buds this Holi? Indulge in the mouth-watering Dahi Bhalla, a popular snack that is perfect for any celebration. This dish is made with deep-fried lentil fritters, soaked in a mixture of sweet and green chutneys, and topped with a smooth paste of creamy yogurt and spice powders. It’s then garnished with fresh coriander leaves, pomegranate arils, and green chilies, making it a colorful and flavorful treat for your taste buds. As you take a bite of these soft and fluffy lentil dumplings, you’ll experience a burst of flavors that will leave you wanting more. The coolness of the yogurt and the heat from the spices blend together perfectly, creating a balance of flavors that is truly magical. Happy Holi and happy eating!

Dahi Bhalla is a popular street food and a favorite snack for many. It originated in North India but has now become a part of the cultural fabric of the country. You can make this dish by deep-frying lentil fritters of urad dal or moong dal. Soak these fritters in a mixture of sweet and green chutneys and creamy yogurt. You can serve dahi bhalla at special occasions and festivals, including Holi, Diwali, and weddings. It is also a popular side dish at Indian meals and you csn enjoy it as a snack anytime. It’s easy to find Dahi Bhalla chaat on the streets of India, where vendors serve it in small bowls. Serve dahi bhalla at room temperature, or slightly chilled. You can also use vegan yogurt to make a dairy-free version of the dish, known as Thayir Vadai in South India.

Ingredients List For Dahi Bhalla Recipe

Dahi Bhalla Masala Ingredients

Dahi bhalla is mostly bland but this dahi bhalla masala coupled with some chutneys gives it flavor. The masala requires cumin seeds, black pepper, carom seeds, black salt, red chilies, and chat masala. All these masalas and spices combine to make the dahi bhala masala which has a spicy kick to it.

Bhalla (vada) Ingredients

Dahi bhalla is basically a dal vada. Urad Dal is the main ingredient in the Bhalla or vada, which contributes to the texture of the lentil balls, making them soft and fluffy on the inside when fried. Apart from urad dal, you need salt, asafoetida, and cumin seeds for the vada to give it aroma and flavor. You need oil for frying and a little water for soaking the vadas.

Dahi (Yogurt) Ingredients

Another main ingredient in this recipe is yogurt which is also called dahi. It gives the dish its name and adds a tangy flavor to the dish. You need some sugar to cut the tartness of the yogurt and also a little black salt to flavor the dish.

Other Ingredients

You need two chutneys and some sev to add another layer of flavor Green Chutney is a flavorful condiment made with mint, coriander, and other spices that adds a fresh and herbaceous flavor to the dish. While tamarind chutney adds a tangy and slightly sweet flavor to the dish. Sev is a crispy fried snack that adds further texture and crunch to the dish.

Step By Step Instructions For Dahi Bhalla Recipe

First, rinse the urad dal in water a few times and then soak it in enough water for 2 hours.

Second, drain the water from the dal and grind it into a smooth paste using a mixer or grinder. You can also add a little water if required to grind it smoothly.

Next, beat the dal batter with 3-4 tbsp of water using a spoon or hand beater, until it becomes fluffy and light.

To check the perfect consistency, drop 1 tsp batter in a bowl of water, if it floats that means the consistency is perfect.

After that, add cumin seeds and salt to the batter, beat again for a few seconds.

Heat oil in a deep frying pan over medium to low heat. Once the oil is hot, take a spoonful of batter and drop it in the oil. Then fry them until they are golden brown on both sides.

Subsequently, remove the bhallas/vadas from the oil and soak them in asafoetida water solution for 5-8 minutes.

Moving on to making the dahi bhalla masala, dry roast all the masala ingredients except salt and chaat masala.

Once they are fragrant, grind them to a fine powder and add salt and chaat masala to the powder and mix well.

Then drain the yogurt through a sieve to remove any lumps.

Add salt and ground sugar to the yogurt and beat it using a hand beater or blender until it becomes fluffy.

After that, keep the yogurt in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to make it more fluffy and velvety.

To serve, take the soaked bhallas/vadas out of the asafoetida water solution and squeeze them gently to remove excess water.

Arrange the bhallas/vadas on a plate and pour the beaten yogurt over them.

Drizzle green chutney and tamarind chutney over the yogurt and sprinkle dahi bhalla masala on top.

Finally, garnish with sev and chopped coriander leaves.

Serve the Dahi Bhalla immediately and enjoy!

Serving Suggestions

To serve Dahi Bhalla, start by pouring the beaten yogurt over the soaked bhallas/vadas and drizzling some green chutney and tamarind chutney on top. Next, sprinkle dahi bhalla masala over the yogurt and garnish with some sev and chopped coriander leaves. It is important to serve the Dahi Bhalla immediately for the best taste and texture. For added crunch and flavor, you can also serve it with some crispy papdi, sliced onions, and grated carrots. Alternatively, you can serve Dahi Bhalla with a side of chilled cucumber and mint raita to balance out the heat and spices.

To make the presentation more festive, you can decorate the Dahi Bhalla plate with some edible silver foil and rose petals. Make sure to offer extra yogurt and chutney on the side for those who prefer a creamier or tangier taste. You can also serve dahi bhalla with a variety of Indian snacks like medu vada, ulli vada and parippu vada etc along with tamarind or coconut chutney. Finally, Dahi Bhalla pairs well with some hot and sweet masala chai or refreshing lemonade, making it a perfect snack for any occasion.

Storage Instructions

To store Dahi Bhalla, start by letting it cool to room temperature after making it. Once it cools down, transfer the Dahi Bhalla to an airtight container and cover it with a lid. To ensure the Dahi Bhalla stays fresh, store it in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. When you are ready to serve, take the Dahi Bhalla out of the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature for a few minutes. However, it is important to note that you should not store Dahi Bhalla at room temperature for more than a few hours, as it can spoil quickly due to the presence of yogurt. Finally, to enhance the flavor and texture of the Dahi Bhalla, pour fresh yogurt and chutney over it before serving. By following these simple steps, you can enjoy Dahi Bhalla later as a delicious and refreshing snack or appetizer.

Holi Special Dahi Bhalla Recipe

Recipe by Ravi Kumar and Qintarah Khan

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: Snacks, SidesCuisine: Indian, PunjabiDifficulty: Medium

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

40

minutes

Assembling time

10

minutes

Dahi bhalla is a popular Indian snack consisting of deep-fried lentil dumplings served with yogurt and various chutneys.

Ingredients

• Ingredients for bhalla (vada)

• 1 cup urad dal

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tsp cumin seeds

• Oil for frying

• 1/2 tsp asafoetida

• Water for soaking up

• Ingredients for dahi Bhalla masala

• 2 tbsp cumin seeds

• 1 tsp black pepper

• 1/2 tsp carom seeds

• 2-3 red chilies

• 1/2 tsp black salt

• 1/2 tsp chaat masala

• Ingredients for Dahi

• 2 cups dahi/ yogurt

• 1.5 cups ground sugar

• 1 tsp black salt

• Other Ingredients

• Green chutney

• Tamarind chutney

• Sev

Directions

• Rinse the urad dal in water a few times and then soak it in enough water for 2 hours.
• Then drain the water from the dal and grind it into a smooth paste using a mixer or grinder. Add little water if required to grind it smoothly.
• Next, beat the dal batter with 3-4 tbsp of water using a spoon or hand beater, until it becomes fluffy and light. To check the perfect consistency, drop 1 tsp batter in a bowl of water, if it floats that means the consistency is perfect.
• After that, add cumin seeds and salt to the batter, beat again for a few seconds.
• Heat oil in a deep frying pan over medium to low heat. Once the oil is hot, take a spoonful of batter and drop it in the oil. Fry until golden brown on both sides.
• Subsequently, remove the bhallas/vadas from the oil and soak them in asafoetida water solution for 5-8 minutes.
• For dahi bhalla masala, dry roast all the masala ingredients except salt and chaat masala, and grind them to a fine powder. Add salt and chaat masala to the powder and mix well.
• Strain the yogurt through a sieve to remove any lumps. Add salt and ground sugar to the yogurt and beat it using a hand beater or blender until it becomes fluffy.
• After that, keep the yogurt in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to make it more fluffy and velvety.
• To serve, take the soaked bhallas/vadas out of the asafoetida water solution and squeeze them gently to remove excess water.
• Arrange the bhallas/vadas on a plate and pour the beaten yogurt over them.
• Drizzle green chutney and tamarind chutney over the yogurt and sprinkle dahi bhalla masala on top.
• Finally, garnish with sev and chopped coriander leaves.
• Serve the Dahi Bhalla immediately and enjoy!

Recipe Video

FAQs

Hi! I’m Ravi Kumar.

I am a husband, father of 4, board certified neurosurgeon, and a lover of South Indian Food!

I created PaattisKitchen.com to memorialize the most delicious foods on earth. South Indian food is easy to make and hard to mess up. So pull up your sleeves, and come with me as we explore the vibrant spices, colors, aromas, and flavors of South Indian culinary tradition.