Zaiqa

Dahi means Yogurt, and Vade, or Vada (vada is a single deep fried lentil ball and vade or vadas is the plural of vada) are the deep fried lentil balls shaped differently according to the recipe in which you are adding them. Different kind of vade are added in different dishes. In this particular recipe the vada are shaped like little doughnuts and added to the Yogurt relish. Dahi-Vade are one of the most favorite snacks enjoyed by Indians. And Muslims in Hyderabad usually prepare it in Ramadhan for Iftaar, when they break the fast.

My version of the Dahi-Vade is simple. I combined the recipes of my Mother and Mother In Law here. Soak the dal a day ahead, then then I go to the kitchen an hour before the Iftaar time to prepare it so that they are just ready before the Iftaar time.

Dahi-Vada – Lentil cakes in Yogurt Sauce

Ingredients:

For the Yogurt Relish-
Yogurt – 500 gms
Water – 1 1/2 cups
Salt – 1/4 tsp
Green Chilli paste – 1 tsp
Sugar – 1/2 tsp
For the Vade-
Urad Dal/Black Gram dal – 1 cup
Green chillies – 2, very finely chopped
Salt – 2 tsp
Water
For the Baghaar
Dry Red Whole Chillies – 2, broken in half, and seeds removed
Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder/Haldi – 1/4 tsp
Canola Oil – 2 tbsp
Cilantro – 1 tbsp, finely chopped

Method:

1. Wash and soak the dal in 2 glasses water overnight.
2. In a large and wide tray, pour in the yogurt, add salt, sugar, water, and green chilli paste. Whisk to mix the yogurt for 5 minutes till the mixture is well blended. Keep in the refrigerator.
3. About 30-40 minutes before you plan to serve the Dahi-Vade, drain the water from the dal and grind them into a smooth and fairly thick batter along the salt and water. Add water drops, as little as possible at a time, just to assist in grinding the dal. The grinded mixture should be fairly thick in consistency as you will be shaping them into vada. Pour the grinded mixture into a bowl. Add the chopped green chillies and mix well.
4. Heat oil to deep fry the vadas in a pan or a kadai. (Never deep fry in a non stick pan)
5. Wet your palm with a few drops of water and spoon about a heaped tablespoon of the mixture onto your wet palm. Wet your index finger and insert it into the centre of the batter to form a hole so that they look like doughnuts. Gently and carefully slip/drop this shaped doughnut into the hot oil and deep fry the vadas in hot oil on both sides until they are nicely golden brown in colour. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towel. The vadas are ready.
5. Once all the vadas have been fried, drop them in a bowl of warm water. Let them soak for 2 minutes. Gently squeeze excess water from the vadas carefully pressing them lightly between your palms. This is done to soak out the oil. Transfer the soaked and squeezed vade into the earlier prepared cooled yogurt relish. Arrange the vade in the yogurt relish so that each one is nicely dipped into it. Cover the tray and transfer it into the refrigerator. Leave it to soak for 10 minutes.
6. Just before you serve, prepare baghaar. In a small pan, pour the oil and add the ingredients under the heading ‘for baghaar’ except cilantro. Let the spices splutter. Pour this onto the Dahi-Vade all over. Also garnish with cilantro, Serve immediately.

Some Tips:

• For this recipe the lentils are to be soaked before hand, preferably overnight, and grinded. People usually grind the lentils and store the mixture some time ahead of preparing the Dahi-Vade. Here, I suggest NEVER to do so, because I have learnt from my experience, that if you grind it beforehand and keep the mixture at room temperature or in the fridge and you fry the vada out of the mixture later on, they tend to absorb more oil, it becomes thirsty for oil. I have noticed it every time I tried to simplify my work and grind and keep the lentils, when I am free, to deep fry it later on. So I have stopped doing it since and grind it only just before I plan to fry and serve the Dahi-Vade. Or you can grind and deep fry the vadas then and there, ahead of time, and store the fried vadas in the freezer for upto 3 months in an air tight container. When you want to prepare the Dahi-Vade, you simply will have to soak the vadas in warm water for the specified time and then in the yoghurt relish.
• If you end up with many vadas, some people put all the vadas in the yoghurt relish even if they know they will all not be eaten up by your loved ones in home, which results in soggy Dahi-Vadas the next time you feel like having the left over Dahi-Vadas. Instead.. Count the number of people at home whom you are going to prepare and serve this dish, and the number of vade prepared. Do not soak all vade in water and then put them into the yoghurt, instead, store the excess vadas in the freezer. The next time you want to have them, make the yoghurt relish again, and dip the vadas, now in warm water for the specified time, and then in the yoghurt relish. Also NEVER prepare the yoghurt relish before hand too as it turns sour. Always prepare everything fresh for best results and good taste.

Asha of Foodie’s Hope has requested me to send this recipe for RCI Karnataka Cuisine because she says this recipe is very similar to Mosaru vade, which they prepare in Karnataka, So, here’s my recipe Asha, all the way to you!

Luv,
Mona

Soya is an excellent source of Protein including all Amino Acids, being the only vegetable whose protein is complete. It is also a good source of Calcium, Vitamins, Omega-3-Fatty Acids and Dietary Fibre. Benefits of Soya include promoting heart health with LDL cholesterol (Bad Cholesterol) lowering claim for soya; preventing Cancer and alleviating menopausal synptoms. Soya are also very versatile. They can be had in the form of Soya nuggets, whole Soya beans, or processed as Soya milk, Tofu or Soya sauce. I buy and store those dried soya nuggets in air tight containers in the pantry for very long periods.

Dried Soya Nuggets ~ Soya nuggets soaked overnight in water

Note: Soak Soya nuggets in surplus fresh cool water for 1-2 hours. Later, squeeze them, drain the water and put the squeezed nuggets in a dry bowl. Add fresh cool water to it and again squeeze them, drain the water and put them in a bowl. Repeat this about 8 times, until there is no lather in the water when you squeeze them while washing them up. This is important, otherwise the lather in soya will cause severe flatulence. So, be careful there.

Recipe Source: India’s Vegetarian Cooking, by Monisha Bharadwaj

Soya Ki Subzi / Soya Nuggets in Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

Dried Soya nuggets – 300 gms – read ‘Note’ above before you start cooking
Canola Oil – 3 tbsp
Yellow Onions – 2, medium, chopped
Ginger Garlic paste – 1 tbsp
Tomatoes – 2, ripe
Cumin seeds/Zeera – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
Red Chilli powder – 1/2 tsp
Garam masala powder – 1/2 tsp
Salt – 2 tsp
Water – 100 ml
Green Chillies – 1, slit, for garnishing

Soya Ki Subzi – Soya Nuggets in Tomato Sauce

Method:

-Pour oil in a heavy bottomed pan and fry the onions until transparent. Add ginger garlic paste and the chopped tomatoes to it. Stir well and let it cook until it has become soft and mushy. Once cool, grind the above mixture into a paste.
-Heat the remaining oil in an another heavy bottom preferably non stick pan and fry the cumin seeds till they splutter. Now add the ground onion-tomato paste, and stir well to mix. Cook for a couple of minutes. Add the spice powders and salt. Add the squeezed soya nuggets to the pan and stir in water. Bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat, simmer for about 5 minutes and allow the soya nuggets to absorb all the flavours and liquid from the pan mixture. Cook until the gravy is semi-dry.
-Garnish with slit green chillies and serve it hot along with Parathas.

Luv,
Mona

Kitchen tools, gadgets and utensils are my weakness. Wherever I go I am definite to visit stores that sell them. My hubby knows that very well. Below I have listed a few of the kitchen gadgets that I use in my daily cooking. I will be updating this post with more new gadgets, utensils and tools and they make way into my kitchen.

Kitchen Tools and Utensils (from India)
1. Dal Ghotni
2. Wooden Spoons
3. Roti Tawa-Cast Iron Griddle
4. Copper bottomed Degchi Set

5. Lagan

6. Kadai

7. Non-stick Dosa Tawa – Flat Cast Iron Griddle
8. Set of various Baking pans
9. Cast-Iron skillets
10. KitchenAid Covered Round Casserole
11. Prestige Pressure Cookers
12. Granite Mortar and Pestle

Kitchen Gadgets (from outside India)
1. Kitchen Air Food Processor
2. Magic Bullet (works like magic for grinding all the masalas to fine pastes of powders)

Wishlist:
1. Color coated Pressure Handi
2. Nigella Lawson Bliss Herb Chopper Mezzaluna
3. Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer
4. Clay Cooking Pot

Luv,
Mona

It happens many times with me that I accidentally end up adding a little more salt than required in a dish hence making the dish too salty and destroying the original taste. I have been going through a lot of books, and sources to find a remedy for this problem and I am able to come up with these solutions. I will keep updating it as and when I find new methods to this problem. Hope you all also find these useful.

1. If your stew or gravy is too salty, peel a potato, cut into medium size pieces and add to it. Simmer and when the potato is soft lift carefully out. The potato should have absorbed a lot of the saltiness.
2. Coconut milk also helps reduce the saltiness from a dish.
3. Try adding a bit of sugar or maple syrup to the dish.
4. Other ways to disguise saltiness is by adding a small can of tomatoes or a little plain yoghurt, whichever is most suitable for the particular dish involved.
5. Knead a little besan and make small rolls and add to the gravy. Remove them before serving. These can be re-used to make gatte ki sabji.

Luv,
Mona

Tomato Chutney is the Indian condiment that you can prepare and store in air-tight food storage containers in the refrigerator for days together. It has a very long life if used with care and can be enjoyed as a dip or spread along with many snacks or even with meals.

Tomato chutney is spicy, tangy, and this is the reason it is complimentary to almost all other dishes as a side-dish. My Mom is an expert and she always made the perfect Tomato chutney. I have never tasted a Tomato chutney as tasty as hers. My cousin sister who used to come to live with us during holidays when I was a kid, used to lick her fingers endlessly after having that chutney and would appreciate my Mom for the culinary treasures she possessed. I’m proud I got to learn from her the procedures of some of her known dishes.

Fresh Ripe Tomatoes and Tamatar Ki Chutney – Tomato Chutney

Its spicy, its tangy, its tasty, a perfect Indian Chutney. You can have this as a side dish or with any of your favourite Manchuria’s or snacks you love. Go ahead and try it out.

Tamatar Ki Chutney – Tomato Chutney
Serves: 6

Ingredients:

Tomatoes (fresh) – 4, large, red and ripe, washed and quartered
Green chillies – 2-4, washed and slit (optional)
Red chilli powder – 2 tsp
Salt – 1 1/2 tsp
Canola Oil – 2 tbsp
Cumin seeds/Zeera – 1 tsp
Black Mustard seeds/Rai – 1 tsp
Ginger Garlic paste – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves (fresh) – 6 leaves
Garam masala powder – 1/4 tsp
Dry roasted Cumin seed powder – 1/2 tsp

Method:

• In a saucepan, add the quartered tomatoes and the red chilli powder, turmeric powder, green chillies, salt and and give it a nice stir. Cover and let it cook on medium low heat for about 5-10 minutes, stirring it occasionally, until the tomatoes are all mushy.
• Meanwhile, prepare baghaar~pour oil in a pan at medium heat and as soon as its warm, throw in the cumin seeds and mustard seeds. Cover with a splatter screen and as the seeds begin to pop, add the curry leaves and the ginger garlic paste as well and stir for about 15-30 more seconds until the galic pods are slightly reddish in colour. This is the baghaar, or the tempering. Remove from heat and keep aside.
• When the tomatoes are all cooked and most of the moisture has been evaporated and the consistency has reduced to a thick pulp as shown in the picture, add the garam masala powder, cumin seed powder and mix well. Add baghaar and mix well. Cook for 3-5 more minutes. Let cool, and serve.

Tip: You can store Tomato Chutney in an air tight glass jar in the refrigerator for almost a week, or freeze it in (microwavable) food storage containers for months together. When you want to have it, just microwave it for a few seconds or if you do not have a microwave, leave it outside at room temperature for a few hours, or in the refrigerator overnight and its ready to serve.

Suggested Accompaniments: ChickenDum Biryani, Gosht Ki Biryani, Tarkaari Ki Biryani, Qubuli or Tahari(Minced Meat Rice)

Luv,
Mona