Monday, August 08, 2011

Non-Fried Dahi Wada (Dahi Bhalla)


P1000170

I bought a new non-stick appam patra (Appam Mold) last week and to say that I have been using it non-stop will be a serious understatement. I have made sweet appam by the dozens for the first time ever and  impressed my family, but the really really impressive bit came when I made wadas for my dahi wada dish in my appam mold. Yesss ! Wadas in made in appam style. Frankly though I cannot take the credit for this idea. It was my Aai who came up with this idea a couple of years back and always told me to do the same to make dahi wadas oil free. Many of you might also be doing it the same way but when I told my friends what I done , it was a completely novel idea to them and they loved it, not to mention they loved the Dahi Wadas too. It was their praise that prompted me to immediately blog about them. 

P1000160

The entire process of making the wadas is just the same as you would for the fried version. Even the ingredients are absolutely the same. Only while preparing the wadas instead of deep frying the batter, pour spoonfuls into the appam mould. Now because I wanted them to taste just as good as the fried ones I put a few drops of oil on each wada (and I seriously mean a few drops) Cook on moderate heat for 4 to 5 mins on either side and pop them out.

Ingredients for the wadas:

3 cups urid dal (Split black lentils) soaked overnight or for 5 to 6 hrs
1 cup fresh grated coconut,
10-12 chillies,
3 tblspns cumin
2 to 3 tspns sugar
salt to taste.

Ingredients for the yogurt mix:

1 litre and a little more thick whole milk yogurt,
sugar to slightly sweeten the yogurt,
3 tspns of ginger  and chilly paste,
1 tspn cumin and coriander powder each
salt to taste

Ingredients for the tempering:

3 tblspns of oil,
2 tspns mustard
10 to 12 curry leaves finely chopped
1/2 tspn asafoetida (hing)


Method:

Soak the urid dal overnight or at least for 5 to 6 hrs,

•Grind the soaked urid dal finely along with the grated coconut, chillies , cumin, salt and sugar . While grinding the dal add water in small quantities only as much as needed to aid the process of grinding.

•Keep aside for a little while.

•Prepare the yogurt by whipping the yogurt to a smooth consistency.

•Add some milk to the yogurt to give it the consistency of a thick pouring sauce. Mix in the sugar ,salt and ginger, cumin and coriander powders and the ginger-chilly paste.

•Before cooking the wadas keep a large pan of lukewarm water at hand . Add to the water a little yogurt and mix it well . This water is used to soak the cooked wadas .

•Drop tblspnfuls of wada batter into the the mold and cook  on a very moderate heat turning them over once.

•After cooking  the first batch let them cool . After they have cooled pop them into the lukewarm water and let them soak in the water for a while until they become slightly soggy

•Repeat this process with all the wadas, putting them in water only after they have cooled slightly

•Note: if hot wadas are put in cold water they remain hard at the centre, so let them cool slightly first.

•When all the wadas have been put in the water squeeze out the water from each wada by pressing it gently between your palms and place them flat one next to the other in your serving dish.

•Pour over the prepared yogurt evenly over all the wadas

•Prepare the seasoning by adding the mustard seeds to hot oil. When they begin to splutter add the hing and the curry leaves and switch off the gas.

•Spoon this seasoning over the dahi wadas carefully . Sprinkle some chilly powder over the finished dish and garnish with coriander . Let your guest help themselves to the date and tamarind sauce

•Also offer your guests extra cumin and coriander and chilly powder .

This makes a wonderful side dish during a meal or a main snack at tea time and now you can enjoy these in unlimited quantities as they are NOT FRIED . YEHHHHHH!!!!!



Non-Fried Dahi Wada

10 comments:

Rajani Rayudu said...

Hi Anu,

I always wanted to try this in ponganalu dish. Yours looks delicious it is screaming my attention to make some. Like your detailed recipe, thanks!

cheers
rajani

Niru said...

woooooooowwwwwwwwww..simply wowwwwwwww...looks perfect n delicious..love the appam mold...can do healthy wonders with it.

Unknown said...

I am sooooooooooooo going to try this one out. I cannot wait, may be this weekend itself :)

retouche image said...

This is a subject close to my heart, You have done a marvelous job, well done and thank you

archana dhumal said...

Simply gr8 and healthy too...

ww said...

Hi Anupama,
Nice to see you back after ages. I just loe the idea of healthy medu vadas in appam patra...just an idea for me to pop in to nearby store and buy one while I am in Pune:)
How have you been?

Preeti said...

Hi Anupama,
I do not know why my name didnt appear when I commented...just in case you were wondering who ww is it is me :)

huntdonald said...

simple receipt, easy to get all the ingredient , look yummy
i will try to make it someday,
thanks for shared

bubblegum casting said...

Yeah this one looks perfect!

kvepalai said...

its is nice, so sweet!