South Indian Dahi Vada Recipe
Craving a soft, tangy, flavour-packed Indian snack? Try these Andhra-style Perugu Garelu made with fluffy urad dal vadas soaked in creamy curd and topped with aromatic mustard seeds, curry leaves, and chillies. This traditional South Indian curd vada is perfect for festive meals, family gatherings, or a special homemade treat!
Servings: 4
Calories: 115kcal
Ingredients
For the vadas:
- Whole urad dal - 1 cup
- Grated ginger – ½ inch
- Green chilli - 1, finely minced
- Coriander leaves. optional – 1 sprig
- Cumin seeds, optional – 1 tsp
- Asafoetida – a pinch
- Salt – to taste
- Oil for deep frying
For the yogurt mixture:
- Yogurt/thick curd - 2 cups
- Sev, optional – 1 tbsp
- Red chilli powder – ¼ tsp
- Roasted cumin powder – ¼ tsp
- Coriander leaves for garnishing
- Salt to taste
For tempering:
- Curry leaves – 1 sprig
- Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
- Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
- Split black gram dal - 1 tsp
- Red chillies - 2
- Green chillies - 2
- Ginger – ½ inch
- Asafoetida – a pinch
- Oil - 2 tsp
Instructions
- Soak whole black gram dal for 6-8 hours. Drain the water and wash the soaked urad dal well. Grind the dal to a smooth paste adding very little water. Remove into a bowl.
- Chop green chillies and coriander leaves. Grate the ginger.
- Add salt, chopped green chillies, grated ginger, chopped coriander leaves, cumin seeds, asafoetida to the urad dal batter and beat well with hand until the batter is light and fluffy.
- Heat sufficient oil for deep frying in a kadai. Keep a vessel with some water nearby.
- Wet your hands and take about 2 tbsp of batter. Flatten and pat into a round shape (you can use a banana leaf or a wet plastic sheet) and make a hole in the centre of the vada. (If it’s too messy, just drop spoonfuls of batter into hot oil). Fry on both sides till a golden brown.
- Remove the vadas with a slotted spoon and immerse them in a bowl of water. Fry the remaining vadas in batches in the same way and dunk in water.
- Next prepare the yogurt mixture. Add salt and about ½ cup of water to the yogurt and beat well. Keep aside.
- Heat oil in a frying pan. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and split urad dal. Then add curry leaves, broken dry red chillies, slit green chillies, chopped ginger and asafoetida. Sauté for ½ a minute. Remove and pour the tempering over the beaten yogurt and combine well.
- Squeeze water from the vadas and place on a serving dish. Pour the seasoned yogurt over the vadas. Sprinkle red chilli powder and roasted cumin powder on top. Garnish with coriander leaves and Sev.
- Serve delicious Dahi Vadas chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
* You can also soak the fried vadas in buttermilk
* You can grind the urad dal with ginger, cumin, green chillies and asafoetida.
* The dish can be topped with grated carrot or grated coconut.
* For the North Indian version, no tempering is required. Dip the fried vadas in water, squeeze out excess water and transfer into a serving dish. Pour beaten curds over the vadas. Sprinkle red chilli powder, roasted cumin powder, black salt and chaat masala. Garnish with coriander leaves, Sev/boondi and shredded coconut.
* You can grind the urad dal with ginger, cumin, green chillies and asafoetida.
* The dish can be topped with grated carrot or grated coconut.
* For the North Indian version, no tempering is required. Dip the fried vadas in water, squeeze out excess water and transfer into a serving dish. Pour beaten curds over the vadas. Sprinkle red chilli powder, roasted cumin powder, black salt and chaat masala. Garnish with coriander leaves, Sev/boondi and shredded coconut.