Maria NasirDahi Baray or Yellow Lentil Dumplings are one of the most popular street food and homemade snack in South Asia.
These dumplings are also known by the names of Bhallay, Vadas, Vade and Bore in different regional languages and the batter is also made using different ground lentils, chickpeas flour, semolina or rice flour.
Dahi Baray made with Daal Maash are actually a more refined version of the street side snack Dahi Bhalley. Baray are extra soft and light with raisins mixed in the batter and powdered sugar in yogurt sauce for a delicate touch of sweetness. While Bhalley have lots of onions, potatoes, tomatoes and shredded cabbage mixed in as well and are spicier.
As these dumplings are first soaked in water after getting fried, most of the oil gets drained out. They are like small sponges that become really soft as they absorb up the yogurt sauce.
Served with sweet and sour tamarind chutney and fresh coriander, they make a very appetising, light snack for any time of the day.
For Dahi Baray, Yellow Lentil Dumplings :
1 cup Yellow Lentils/ Daal Maash
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 /2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
Water to make paste
Oil for deep frying
For Yogurt Sauce :
4 cups plain yogurt
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
1/4 cup soaked raisins
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
fresh coriander or mint for garnish.
For Tamarind Chutney :
1/2 cup tamarind
1/2 inch piece ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon red chilli flakes
3 tablespoons brown sugar
This Is What You Do :
Soak yellow lentils in hot water for ten minutes.
Blend with all the dumpling ingredients in a food processor, except raisins, till a a thick, smooth paste forms. Stir in raisins. Set aside for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile prepare the tamarind chutney and yogurt sauce.
Mix all the ingredients of yogurt sauce in a bowl and refrigerate.
Boil tamarind for 5-6 minutes or till soft enough to remove seeds easily.
You can also soak it in warm water for an hour to achieve this result.
Remove and discard the seeds. Blend tamarind juice, pulp, ginger, sugar, salt and red chillies in an electric blender to a smooth paste.
Heat oil for deep frying, check the temperature by dropping a little bit of dumpling batter, it should rise immediately to the surface.
Drop batter into the oil by tablespoons full. Fry for a 2-3 minutes till the dumplings puff up into small balls and are golden on outside and cooked inside.
Keep a big bowl half filled with water close by, drop the fried dumplings straight in that bowl .
Keep soaked for 5 minutes, remove and gently squeeze between your palms to get rid of extra water.
To serve pour half of the yogurt sauce in a serving dish, arrange the dumplings over it. Pour the remaining half of the yogurt sauce.
Garnish with tamarind chutney, coriander leaves and Chaat masala.
If you can’t find Chaat masala where you live, just mix some black pepper, red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and salt to make a quick seasoning.
Serves 4