Chef Heena Patel’s Dahi Wada Recipe

Step 1

Place 2 cups urad dal in a large bowl. Add enough cool water to cover by a few inches and let soak at cool room temperature overnight.

Step 2

Drain the urad dal. Working in batches if needed, transfer to a food processor fitted with the blade attachment and pulse until coarsely crushed, 20 to 25 (1-second) pulses.

Step 3

Transfer the urad dal to a blender. Add 2 teaspoons of the kosher salt and 2 teaspoons of the black pepper. Blend on high speed until a thick purée forms, about 5 minutes.

Step 4

Divide the mixture into about 20 (about 2 heaping tablespoon) portions. Roll between your hands to form smooth balls. (If the mixture is too sticky to roll, refrigerate for 15 minutes and try again.)

Step 5

Add enough canola or vegetable oil to a large saucepan so there is enough to submerge the fritters entirely. Heat over medium-high heat until 350ºF. Deep fry the fritters in batches of 4 until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per batch. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain any excess oil.

Step 6

Transfer all the fried fritters to a large bowl. Add enough cold water to completely cover the fritters. Let soak for 2 minutes.

Step 7

Remove the fried fritters from the water. Squeeze each one until flattened to about 1/4-inch thick, trying to keep a round shape. Arrange on a large platter in a single layer in a circular pattern.

Step 8

Place 1 tablespoon of the black pepper, 1 tablespoon regular or roasted ground cumin, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder in a small bowl and stir to combine.

Step 9

Place 2 cups plain yogurt, 1/4 cup water, 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons granulated sugar, the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, and the remaining 2 teaspoons black pepper in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth.

Step 10

Spoon a thick layer of yogurt sauce onto each fritter. Dollop with 2 tablespoons mild or hot chutney and 2 tablespoons tamarind chutney. Sprinkle with the spice mixture.