Curd vada (dahi vada)

Indian street food is hardly a niche cuisine, and is often hard to find given its popularity. And yet, finding the right vada can sometimes be a challenge if you’re not familiar with the local cuisine, even more so if you’re not given to loving paneer and dahi. These curd vadas are made of gram flour, but they’re so much more than just a fried ball of curd. The secret ingredient that makes these vadas stand-out is the spiced, tangy yogurt that’s mixed with the cooked gram flour.

Curd vada is a street food snack in India. It is made from deep fried fermented lentil balls in a smooth and creamy sauce with spices and chutneys. It is normally eaten with an Indian curd (curd rice) or dahi (yogurt). Curd vada is usually served as a snack or with tea in the afternoon.

This dish is a typical street snack in India. It is usually eaten during the evening hours and is a great way to use up leftover curd from the day. The dahi vada is a good source of vegetable protein and carbohydrates.

One of my favorite dishes is this. I prefer curd vada over sambar vada or any other vegetable vada. When we make vadas at home, there is always a dispute between my brother and myself because I want curd vada and my brother simply wants vadas, but we both get what we want. She divides the vada and curd vada batter. You may also create a conversation using this curd vada. Simply pour some sweet chutney (tamarind chutney), sliced onion, shredded carrot, a few sev, and green chutney over everything (mint chutney). This curd vada from South India differs from the curd vada from North India, which we name dahi bhalle and is served as a chat. The curd in dahi bhalle will be somewhat sweet, and it will be topped with sweet chutney, chilli powder, and roasted cumin powder. But I usually eat it with simple curd vada from South India. My mother soaks the vadas in simple water or butter milk (thin curd mixture, little curd but more water) before adding them to the tadka curd, while my aunty soaks them first in plain water or butter milk (thin curd combination, little curd but more water) before adding them to the tadka curd. Both have distinct flavors; you may choose according to your preferences and requirements. Because the vadas will absorb all of the liquid, the technique I use requires more curd.

Ingredients

• • Vadas – according to the requirements (See my recipe for medhu vada)

tadka made with curd

• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (optional)
• 4 dry chillies
• 15 curry leaves
• a pinch of salt (to taste)
• a few coriander leaves
• 2 cups of curd
• Depending on the situation, there may be a need for water.

Method

Notes

• You may soak the vadas in water or butter milk for a few minutes first, then squeeze out the water by squeezing it between your hands and dropping it into the curd. However, placing the vadas immediately on top of the curd mixture will enhance the flavor. The flavor and taste of the vadas will be lost if it is soaked in water or butter milk, and you will get a new taste. I believe the pre-soaking is done to prevent the vadas from absorbing too much curd. If we want a stronger flavor, we may add additional curd mixture to make a really tasty curd vada. To prevent using too much curd, pre-soaking is usually done in hotels.
• In restaurants, it is presoaked in water, pressed to remove excess water, vadas put on plate, seasoned (tadka) yogurt/curd mixture poured on top, topped with boondi (made with gram flour batter), shredded carrot, coriander leaves, grated fresh coconut (optional). They may add a pinch of sugar to the yoghurt mixture.
• Occasionally, chopped ginger is added to the tadka.
• Some people make the vada batter with soda, but I don’t.

 

I never had Vada Pav (Pav or Pavdi at home) till I went to Goa a year back, I loved the taste and decided to make it at home. It is a very easy dish to make and tastes fabulous when served with some chopped onions, sliced tomatoes and some Indian Raita (yogurt salad).. Read more about dahi vada price and let us know what you think.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Dahi Vada and Dahi Bhalla?

Dahi Vada is a fried lentil and potato snack from the Indian state of Gujarat. It is often served with chutney or tamarind sauce. Dahi Bhalla is a type of sweet milk pudding that originated in the Indian state of Punjab.

Why is Dahi Vada bad for health?

Dahi Vada is a fried Indian snack made from chickpea flour. Its often eaten as a street food, but it can also be found in many restaurants and fast-food chains across India. The dish is typically deep-fried in oil and then served with chutneys or sauces.

Is Medu vada and dahi vada same?

No, they are not the same.