Ingredients:

For the vadas:
1 cup black gram
Salt to taste
For the Dahi (yogurt):
5 cups dahi (yogurt)
2 green chilies, chopped
1/2 tsp ginger grated
7-8 curry leaves
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
A pinch of asafoetida
Salt to taste
4 tsp sugar (yogurt should taste little sweet)

Dahi Vada

Method:

For vadas:
1. Soak the dal for 7-8 hours or overnight.
2. Grind it to a smooth paste.
3. Add salt to taste.
4. Heat oil in a pan and add spoonfuls of dal batter and fry until the vadas are golden brown.
5. Drop the hot vadas in a bowl of cold water and leave for about 3-4 minutes.
6. Take each vada out from water, squeeze the water out and set aside.

For making dahi:
1. Blend the yogurt with little water until it is smooth.
2. Add sugar, salt, green chillies and ginger.
3. Make a seasoning with mustard seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves and add to yogurt.
4. Keep the yogurt in refrigerator until it is chilled.

Serving the vadas:

Arrange the squeezed vadas in a deep dish. Pour the yogurt on the vadas such that all the vadas are covered well by the yogurt. Sprinkle red chili powder, roasted cumin powder and black salt. Serve with sweet tamarind chutney.
Serves: 6
Preparation time: 30-40 minutes