DAHI BHALLE/DAHI BARAY (LENTIL DUMPLINGS IN YOGHURT)

DAHI BHALLE/DAHI BARAY

INGREDIENTS

250g Daal Mash (Urad) - Soaked for 4 Hours

1 Inch Piece of Ginger - Chopped

10 or 12 Pcs Button Chillies

2 tsp Cumin Seeds

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp Baking Powder

Oil For Deep Frying

FOR THE DIP

1 Kg Yoghurt

Half tsp Salt (you can add more after tasting, if you so wish)

4 Tbsp Sugar (Heaped)

Whip all the above - add a little water if you find it is too thick. Set aside.

FOR FINISHING AND GARNISH

Prepared Tamarind Chutney about half a cup or more if you wish

Chaat Masala - 1 tsp or more if you require

A bit of Chopped Cilantro

DIRECTIONS

Drain the water away from the soaked lentils. Place the lentils along with the ginger, button chillies and cumin seeds in a blending jug or if using a hand blender then in the any deep bowl. Process until you get a pasty batter.

As you can see in this pic, the batter should be of this consistency. Add the salt and baking powder.

Using an electric beater, whisk this batter until it is frothy. Will take about 5 minutes. Set aside. 

Place a wok on heat and pour in the oil. Set a bowl of water at hand for dipping hands in.

Wet your hands and lift a small portion of the batter. Pat with your other hand to slightly flatten to form little patties.
Gently drop into oil (oil should not be too hot). Don't worry if the shape goes out of shape a little after its dropped in oil.

On medium heat, drop a few patties at a time. Be careful not to plop them in. You have to slide them in otherwise you will risk hot oil being splashed onto your hand.
Flip each over with a spatula to brown them evenly.

Once they attain a light golden colour, remove from oil and drop them into a dish lined with absorbent paper. Repeat with the remaining batter and set all fried dumplings aside.

Heat some water in a saucepan. It should not be boiling hot. Just hot. Tip in all the dumplings you set aside earlier. Let them soak for 15 minutes.

Lift each out and place in the center of your palm.

Place the other palm over the dumpling and squeeze out all the water. Do not press too hard lest the dumpling breaks. It will flatten, but that is how it is supposed to be. Place each in your serving platter to arrange them out evenly.

Pour the prepared yoghurt over the dumplings.

Sprinkle the chaat masala and a little of chopped cilantro over it. If you wish you can pour the tamarind chutney over too at this stage. I prefer to serve it separately hence you don't see the tamarind chutney here. The serving with tamarind chutney is shown below.