Description
Dahi Bhalla is a beloved Indian snack featuring soft lentil dumplings soaked in a tangy buttermilk mixture and served with creamy yogurt and flavorful chutneys. This recipe combines skinned white urad dal and yellow mung dal to create fluffy dumplings, deep-fried to golden perfection, then soaked overnight to achieve a tender texture. Finished with spiced yogurt, coriander relish, date & tamarind sauce, and fresh coriander leaves, this dish offers a delightful balance of savory, sweet, and tangy flavors, perfect as an appetizer or a light meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Lentil Dumplings
- 65g skinned white urad dal (dhuli urad), soaked overnight
- 65g yellow mung dal, soaked overnight
- ¾ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp coarsely ground black peppercorns
- 40g ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 green chillies, deseeded and roughly chopped
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- Vegetable or sunflower oil for deep-frying
Buttermilk Soak
- 1 x 268ml carton buttermilk
- 268ml cold water (equal quantity to buttermilk)
Yogurt Coating
- 300ml Greek or natural yogurt
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 3–4 tbsp milk
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
Toppings & Garnishes
- 2 tbsp coriander relish
- 4 tbsp date & tamarind sauce
- A few coriander leaves
Instructions
- Prepare the lentil paste: Drain the soaked skinned white urad dal and yellow mung dal using a sieve, discarding the soaking water. Place both dals into a food processor along with the ground cumin, coarsely ground black peppercorns, ginger, and green chillies. Blitz the mixture to form a soft paste, adding 1-2 tablespoons of water as needed to achieve smoothness.
- Beat the batter: Transfer the lentil paste into a bowl and beat vigorously by hand or with a food mixer fitted with a beater for 5-7 minutes until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. This step is key to getting airy dumplings.
- Heat oil and add leavening agent: In a wok or karahi, heat the vegetable or sunflower oil over medium heat, filling the vessel to no more than two-thirds full. Stir the bicarbonate of soda into the lentil mixture carefully.
- Fry the dumplings: Using two dessert spoons, gently scoop and shape dumplings approximately the size of small walnuts from the batter. Working in batches, carefully lower the dumplings into the hot oil using a slotted spoon. Fry each dumpling for 3-4 minutes on each side, turning occasionally to ensure even golden browning. Remove the cooked dumplings and drain them on kitchen paper. This batch should yield 22-24 dumplings.
- Prepare buttermilk soak: Whisk the buttermilk with an equal amount of cold water in a large shallow baking dish. Submerge the fried dumplings into this buttermilk mixture, coating them thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate overnight to allow the dumplings to soak and soften.
- Drain and arrange dumplings: The next day, gently press each dumpling to remove excess buttermilk. Arrange the softened dumplings on a serving plate.
- Make yogurt coating: Whisk together the Greek or natural yogurt, caster sugar, and enough milk (3-4 tablespoons) to create a consistency just thick enough to coat the dumplings evenly.
- Assemble and serve: Coat the dumplings generously with the yogurt mixture. Sprinkle ground cumin and Kashmiri chilli powder over them. Drizzle the coriander relish and date & tamarind sauce on top, then garnish with fresh coriander leaves for a fresh, vibrant finish.
Notes
- Soaking the lentils overnight helps soften them and creates the ideal texture for the batter.
- Beating the batter thoroughly is essential to get light and fluffy dumplings instead of dense ones.
- Maintain medium heat when frying to ensure dumplings cook evenly and achieve a golden color without burning.
- Soaking the fried dumplings overnight in buttermilk softens them and infuses a tangy flavor characteristic of traditional dahi bhalla.
- If Greek yogurt is not available, use thick natural yogurt for the best coating consistency.
- Adjust the spice levels by adding more or fewer green chillies according to your heat tolerance.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus overnight soaking and beating time)
- Cook Time: 15 minutes (for frying batches)
- Category: Snack
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Indian
Keywords: dahi bhalla, lentil dumplings, Indian snack, deep-fried, yogurt, buttermilk soak, tangy chutney, vegetarian appetizer
