Dairy-Free Dahi Vada

An Indian street food enjoyed year-round and most definitely served in households during the Diwali and EID celebrations. Vada means fritters, and Dahi means yogurt, but don't let the dairy-free part deter you from trying my recipe. I have made this dish repeatedly, and even dairy consumers rave about it!

A creamy smooth melt-in-your-mouth lentil fritters soaked in cashew cream, this dairy-free version accommodates dairy-intolerant eaters to enjoy and not feel left out! I guarantee it will leave you wanting more!

Yield: Serves 4

Difficulty Level: Easy

Prep Time: soaking of lentils (overnight); soaking of cashews (4-6 hours)

Cooking Time: 30 40 minutes

Ingredients

2 cups of neutral oil for frying

1 cup *urad dal, washed till water runs clear, and soaked overnight

1 cup *whole cashews, unroasted, unsalted, soaked for 4-6 hours

A large bowl filled with 3/4 of fresh cold water

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

2 teaspoons salt

3 teaspoons oil

5-6 fresh curry leaves

1/4 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili

1/4 teaspoon cumin powder

Instructions

For the Vada (fritters)

Rewash the soaked urad dal and transfer it to a food processor or blender. Add 1/4 cup fresh water,

1 teaspoon of cumin seeds, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and blend until you get a smooth batter that is not runny or too thick. This will take about 30-45 seconds. Add 1-2 tablespoons of additional water as needed to get to the desired consistency. Transfer to a large bowl.

Heat 2 cups of oil in a large saucepan on medium-high. Stir the batter in the bowl a few times before frying to loosen it up a little. When the oil is hot and ready for frying, add a heaping tablespoon of batter and gently spread it with the spoon. This prevents the batter from curling up into a ball. Depending on the size of the saucepan, spoon more batter into the oil without crowding the saucepan to avoid steaming.

Fry the first side for about 2-3 minutes, ensuring they do not burn; gently flip the fritter with a slotted spoon and cook another 1-2 minutes. The fritters need to be fried to a crispy golden brown.

Remove the fritters by first collecting them in the slotted spoon, then leaning them against the side of the saucepan to drain the excess oil. Transfer these to the large bowl of water and allow to soak for 2-3 minutes. This will allow the excess oil to drain out and make the fritters pillowy-soft, and smooth.

Repeat the process of frying the fritters until all the batter has finished.

When ready to remove the fritters from the soaking water, collect one fritter at a time, placing them between both hands and giving them gentle pumps to squeeze the water out of them. Do not squeeze so hard that they flatten out. When most of the water is removed, place them in the serving dish, first in a single layer, then add a second layer by nestling additional fritters on top and between fritters.

For the Cashew Cream

Rinse soaked cashews with fresh water. Transfer cashews to the blender, add 1 1/2 cups of cold water and 1/2 teaspoon salt and blend until smooth. Transfer to a bowl or a large measuring cup for easy pouring. Add 1-2 tablespoons of water, as needed, to get to the consistency of heavy whipping cream.

Pour the cream over the fritters, ensuring all the fritters are covered, leaving about 1/2 - 3/4 cup of cream. Allow fritters to absorb the cream for about 2-5 minutes.

Heat a small saucepan on medium-high and add 3 teaspoons of oil. When oil is hot, add 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds and roast for about 30-45 seconds, ensuring they do not burn. Remove the saucepan from heat, add the *curry leaves, and mix together for about 10-15 seconds until the spluttering stops. Place the saucepan back on the heat for another 30-45 seconds until the leaves are no longer a vibrant green. Remove from heat.

Add the desired amount of the remaining cashew cream to the fritters, then spoon over the heated oil with the cumin and curry leaves. Spread the leaves evenly, sprinkle the Kashmiri chili and cumin powder, and serve.

Dahi Vada can be served at room temperature or even cold. Store leftovers in a glass dish in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.

TIPS:

Urad Dal is the white, mild-flavored part of black split lentils. Soaking the lentils allows for them to plump up, makes them easy to digest, and speeds up the cooking time.

Whole cashews that are unsalted and unroasted are crucial to the integrity of the flavor profile of this dish. Soaking them allows them to plump up and make them easy to digest. I have found that split or chopped cashews do not plump up like the whole. In order to achieve the creamy smooth consistency, the whole cashews are what really bring this dish together.

Curry leaves will splutter when added to hot oil, so for safety reasons, removing the saucepan from the heat is essential to allow the sputtering to decline before placing it back on the heat.

Leave a comment below, follow me on Instagram, and subscribe to the email list to be the first one to receive my recipes.

Enjoy!