Dahi Bhalla Recipe - Learn How To Make Dahi Bhalla

Dahi Bhalla or Dahi Bara, is a North Indian delicacy and amongst the most relished street foods. Prepared by deep frying the split black gram dumplings, and serving them with smooth and cold curd, coriander and tamarind chutneys, this dish is a essential part of festive cuisines in West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh. Learn how to make dahi bhalla with an easy recipe given below: 

Preparation Time: 3-4 hours (to soak the split black gram)

Cooking Time: 20-25 minutes

Recipe yield: 7 servings (2 per serving)

Ingredients:

• Split Black Gram (urad dal) - 1 cup; Soaked in water for 3-4 hours till it swells and softens
• Ginger (adrak) - 1 t-spoon chopped
• Green Chilli (hari mirch) - 2-3 chopped
• Salt to Taste
• Spices:
  • Cumin Seeds powder (jeera) - 1/2 tea-spoon
  • Black Pepper powder (kali mirch) - 1/2 tea-spoon
  • Red Chilli powder (lal mirch) - 1/2 tea-spoon
• Mustard oil (sarson ka tel) to fry
• Smoothened chilled curd (dahi)
• Coriander Chutney (hara dhaniya)
• Sweet and Sour Tamarind Chutney (khatti meethi imli ki chutney)

Procedure:

1. Strain of the extra water from the soaked split black gram (urad) and put it in a mixer grinder along with chopped ginger (adrak) and 1 table spoon of water. Grind it to a thick paste like batter.
2. Transfer the grinded batter to a plate. Add chopped green chilli (hari mirch) and salt to taste.
3. Add the cumin seeds powder (jeera powder) and black pepper powder (kali mirch powder) to the batter and mix well.
4. In a kadhai heat some mustard oil (sarson ka tel) to fry the bhalla dumplings. Using a stensil, spoon or hands form dumplings of uniform shape and size, and fry them till all sides are fried uniformly and turn golden brown and crispy.
5. Transfer the dumplings to vessel containing water for 5 minutes. This step will help soften the dumplings and remove the extra oil.
6. Squeeze the dumpling to remove extra water and place bhalla dumplings in beautiful bowls, having 2 dumplings each.
7. Cover the dumplings with chilled and smoothened curd (dahi). Sprinkle salt to taste. Garnish with coriander and tamarind chutney. Sprinkle some roasted cumin seeds powder (jeera powder) and red chilli powder (lal mirch powder) and serve.

(Tips:  1. Remember to add a little water only, enough to form a thick paste. If no water will be added a thick dough like paste will be formed. And if, excess water is added the batter prepared would be flowy.)

To learn the recipe of Coriander (hare dhaniye ki chutney) and tamarind chutneys (imli ki chutney) click on the links below:

1. Coriander Chutney (hara dhaniya) 
2. Tamarind sweet and sour Chutney (Imli aur gud ki chutnety)