No Fry Dahi Vada | Dahi Bhalla Recipe | Soft Spongy Dahi Bhalla Without Frying

No Fry Dahi Vada  are made with very little oil and are soft, spongy, and so tasty that no one will be able to tell that you made them without frying. Whether it’s a festival, an event, or when guests visit, dahi vada is everyone’s favourite.  

Ingredients for ...

• For Dahi Bhalla:

  • Split yellow moong dal (washed) – 1 cup
  • Urad dal – ½ cup (you can also take both dals in equal quantity)
  • Ginger – 2 teaspoons (finely chopped or grated)
  • Green chilli – 1 teaspoon (finely chopped)
  • Salt – 1 teaspoon
  • Eno fruit salt – 1 teaspoon
  • Oil – very little (for greasing the appe pan moulds)

  For Soaking Water:

  • Warm water – as needed
  • Salt – 1 teaspoon
  • Asafoetida (hing) – 2 pinches

  For Yogurt Mixture and Garnish:

  • Curd (yogurt) – 2 cups (whisked after removing excess water)
  • Sugar powder – 2 teaspoons
  • Black salt – ⅓ teaspoon
  • Green coriander chutney
  • Sweet tamarind chutney
  • Roasted cumin powder
  • Crushed red chilli
  • Black salt

How to make Dahi Vada or Dahi Bhalla

• Wash the moong dal and urad dal thoroughly and soak them in water. They will be ready in 2 hours. If you are in a hurry, soak them in slightly warm water; they will swell nicely in 1 hour. Drain the excess water.
• Grind both dals in a jar using very little water. Add only about 2 tablespoons of water. The batter should have a slightly coarse texture. Do not make it too fine. Grind the remaining dal in the same way.
• Add finely chopped ginger, green chilli, and salt to the batter and mix well. Do not grind ginger and chilli with the dal; adding them separately gives better flavour. The consistency of the batter should not be runny. It should fall in soft lumps but should not be too thick either. Leave it for 10 minutes so that the batter sets.
• Sprinkle 1 teaspoon Eno on top and add a little water so that it activates quickly. Mix well. Eno is necessary because we are not frying the vadas. The batter will become fluffy.
• Take an appe pan and put just 2–3 drops of oil in each mould. Once the pan is hot, fill the moulds with a little batter. Cover and cook on low-medium flame for 2 minutes. Add a little oil on top and flip them (start with the centre ones as they cook faster). Cover again and cook the other side for 2 minutes until lightly browned. Remove them. Make the remaining vadas in the same way.
• Heat water and add 1 teaspoon salt and 2 pinches of hing. Let the water cool down a bit. Do not put the vadas in boiling water. The water should be warm but not too hot for your finger. Soak as many vadas as you need to serve. Place a plate on top so that they remain fully submerged. Leave them for 30 minutes so that they swell nicely.
• Store the remaining vadas in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They stay good for 3–4 days. When you want to serve them, simply soak them in warm water.
• After 30 minutes, gently squeeze out the water from the soaked vadas. Take 2 cups of curd, remove excess water, and whisk it well. Add 2 teaspoons sugar powder and ⅓ teaspoon black salt and mix. The yogurt mixture is ready.
• Arrange the vadas on a plate. Pour the prepared yogurt over them. Garnish with roasted cumin powder, crushed red chilli, black salt, green coriander chutney, and sweet tamarind chutney. Serve.

Tips

• No Fry Dahi Vada is ready. They are made so easily in an appe pan and require very little oil. They are extremely soft, spongy, and taste wonderful. These easy, delicious, and spongy dahi vadas are a must-try. Make them and do let me know how they turned out.