Thaiyr Vadai (Dahi Vada)

   

 Medhu Vada is a versatile snack that can be eaten in many ways. These savory "donuts" are made with lentil batter that are fried in oil. They are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. These vadas can be served with chutney and sambar. They can also soak well in sambar, rasam or yogurt. Vada soaked in creamy yogurt mixed with green chutney is called Thaiyr Vada or Dahi Vada. They are great appetizers. My mom always orders this when we go out to Indian restaurants. It is a tricky dish to make, but my sister is an expert in making Medhu Vada.  I still have to master the art of perfect vada. I have a huge container of Indian yogurt that I was going to bring to my son, that we forgot to bring when we went to see him. So, last weekend I decided to make Thaiyr Vada. They turned out to be pretty good, though not up to my sister's standard.

Ingredients for Vada:

1 Cup whole urad (black gram without husk)

1 Tablespoon toor dal

1 teaspoon rice

2 green chili

salt to taste

1/4 teaspoon 

Oil for frying

Ingredients for Yogurt:

2 Cups beaten plain yogurt

1/4 Cup milk (less if yogurt is not sour)

1/2 Cup water

2-3 green chili (adjust to taste)

1 inch ginger

1/4 Cup fresh cilantro

Method:

1. Soak both dals and rice together for 30 minutes. 

                                                            

2.Drain the water and blend them with green chili and to a slightly coarse batter, using little water. The batter should be fluffy. Add salt while blending.

             

3. Blend green chili, ginger and cilantro to a paste.

                                            

4. Take whisked yogurt in a flat rectangle dish. Stir in the cilantro paste. Add salt and mix well. Keep aside.

                              

5. Heat oil for frying. Prepare a bowl of hot water to soak the vada.

6. Dip your fingers in a small bowl of water. Wet the surface of a banana leaf or a plastic sheet. Take a small ball of the vada batter with wet fingers and pat it to a round shape on the sheet. Make a hole in the center.

                                               

7. Gently slide the vada into the hot oil. Keeping the heat on low medium, add couple more vada into the oil. Increase the heat to medium and cook the vada on both sides until light golden brown.

                                  

8. Remove the vadas from the oil and place on a paper towel to drain oil. 

                                                 

9. Gently drop the vadas into the bowl of hot water ( keep the water hot). Allow to soak for 10 minutes.

                                                                   

10. Repeat process with remaining batter. 

11. While one batch of vada is placed on the paper to drain, remove the batch of vada that has been soaking in the water, and gently put them in the pan with the prepared yogurt. Repeat process with remaining vadas.

                                     

12. Allow vadas to soak in yogurt for 30 minutes. Garnish dahi vada with boondi (optional) and sprinkle red chili powder before serving.

                                                               

Note: 

• Grind vada batter with just enough water.
• Adding rice makes vada crispy.
• Toor dal makes vada the nice golden brown color.
• Make sure the water in which vada is soaked is hot.
• I used diluted milk (hot) to soak the vadas this time.
• You can garnish dahi vada with boondi and grated carrot. I like my vada without carrot.