Soft, spongy urad dal dumplings soaked in cold water to remove all oil, then placed in cold beaten yogurt and topped with tamarind chutney, red chilli powder and cumin. The most refreshing chaat of North India — eaten cold, eaten slowly.
Ingredients
For the bhalle (dumplings):
1 cup urad dal (split black gram without skin — the white variety)
Soak the urad dal: Wash 1 cup urad dal in 3 to 4 changes of water. Soak in 3 cups water for 4 to 6 hours. The dal must be fully softened.
Grind to a thick paste: Drain the soaked dal completely. Place in a mixer. Add ginger paste, asafoetida and salt. Add as little water as possible — 1 to 2 tbsp maximum. Grind for 4 minutes until a very smooth, thick, white paste forms. The paste must hold its shape when dropped from a spoon.
Beat the paste to add air: Transfer the paste to a bowl. Beat with your hand or a spoon for 5 minutes in rapid circular motions. This adds air and makes the bhalle spongy when fried. Test: drop a small amount into a glass of water — it should float. If it sinks, beat for 5 more minutes.
Fry the bhalle: Heat oil in a heavy kadai to medium temperature. Drop small spoonfuls (about 1.5 tbsp each) of the batter into the oil. Fry on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes until golden all over. They should be cooked through — test one by cutting open after cooling: it should be spongy inside, not dense. Fry all the bhalle and drain on paper towels.
Soak in warm water: This is the step that makes dahi bhalle unique. Place the fried bhalle in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes. Then gently squeeze each bhalle between your palms to remove the absorbed oil and water — do not break them. Repeat — soak for 5 more minutes and squeeze again. After this, the bhalle should be soft, spongy and free of oiliness.
Prepare the cold yogurt: Beat 2 cups full-fat cold yogurt until completely smooth. Add sugar and a pinch of salt. The yogurt must be cold — warm yogurt on dahi bhalle makes the chaat feel heavy.
Make the roasted cumin powder: Dry roast 1 tbsp cumin seeds in a dry pan on low heat for 2 minutes until they darken and smell smoky. Cool and grind to a fine powder. This roasted cumin powder is the essential finishing spice of dahi bhalle.
Assemble: Place 3 to 4 squeezed bhalle in each serving bowl. Pour 3 to 4 tbsp cold beaten yogurt generously over the bhalle — the yogurt should partially cover them.
Add the chutneys: Drizzle sweet tamarind chutney over the yogurt. Add green coriander chutney. The combination of sweet, sour and tangy chutneys on cold creamy yogurt is the essence of dahi bhalle.
Add the final spices: Sprinkle a pinch of red chilli powder, a generous pinch of roasted cumin powder and a little chaat masala over the top. Add fresh coriander leaves. Serve immediately — cold.
Note: Dahi Bhalle is associated with the cuisine of Uttar Pradesh — particularly Lucknow and Agra — and is one of the oldest preparations in the chaat family. Unlike most chaats which are eaten quickly, dahi bhalle is eaten slowly, one spoonful at a time. The cold yogurt, soft dumpling and warm spices create a particular balance of temperature and texture. It is also made in the same style in Punjab (called dahi bhalle) and Rajasthan (called dahi bade).