Dhal Balls With Yogurt Food

DAHI BHALLAY / LENTIL BALLS IN YOGURT

Steps:

• Method to make bhallas: 1. Wash and soak both lentils and methi seeds in separate bowls for 6-8 hours or overnight. 2. Drain all the water, grind lentils and methi seeds in a blender by adding just about 1 tbsp of water as and when required. The amount of water that you will need will vary on how long your daal actually soaked. Start with 2 tbsp and then work your way up. You want to whip the daal in a blender and not food processor, so it aerates and become smooth and fluffy (read second paragraph in the post). 3. Remove ground lentil mixture in a bowl. Add salt, ginger juice, and black pepper. (To make ginger juice, grate 2″ ginger add 1 tbsp water, squeeze through a strainer). Whip up the lentil mixture for 5 minutes. To check whether your mixture is perfect or not, drop a pea size mixture in a cup of water, if it floats the mixture is perfect and ready to make vadas. 5. Heat oil in a frying pan. Reduce the heat to medium for even cooking. Dip your spoon in water and drop spoonfuls of lentil mixture in medium hot oil. Keep rolling the skimmer in oil to make the bhallas roll over and turn golden. Delicately lift lentil balls with a wok skimmer, draining as much oil as possible, and transfer them onto paper towel. Fry all bhallas until you use up the lentil mixture. At this point, depending on when you want to serve dahi bhallay, you can either freeze or refrigerate them for later or go to the next step for soaking in yogurt. 6. Soak 8 bhallas in lukewarm water for 5-7 minutes. Gently squeeze excess water from bhallas by pressing it between your palms and lay them in a flat serving bowl.
• To make seasoned yogurt: In a bowl, whisk yogurt with water or milk or butter milk until smooth (the yogurt has to be the consistency of cream). Season with salt, black salt and ground black pepper. Some people also add some sugar but I don't. Pour yogurt on the squeezed bhallas. Refrigerate for couple of hours or overnight. Before serving, spoon some sweet tamarind and green chutney. To finish, sprinkle red chili powder, cumin powder, chaat masala, black pepper, kala namak, sev (optional) and cilantro leaves.

MASOOR DAL WITH YOGURT

Steps:

• Heat the vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, tomatoes and a big pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion and tomato soften and the excess liquid evaporates, 7 to 9 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger and curry powder and cook, stirring, until softened, 3 minutes.
• Add the lentils and stir to coat with the tomato mixture. Add 3 1/2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until the lentils are tender and have lost their shape, 12 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; if the mixture gets too thick, add 1/4 cup of water at a time to loosen.
• Divide the lentils among bowls. Top with the yogurt, cilantro and chiles. Serve with the naan.

DAHI BHALLA (FRIED LENTIL BALLS IN YOGURT)

Steps:

• 1. Wash and soak the urad and mung lentils overnight in a large bowl with enough water to cover the lentils. In the morning, drain the excess liquid in a sieve or colander, reserving a few tablespoons to add to the lentils while grinding if needed.
• 2. Grind the lentils in a food processor to get a thick batter. You can add the reserved liquid from step 1 while grinding but the consistency needs to be thick.
• 3. Transfer the batter to another bowl and whisk with a pair of electric beaters until the batter becomes light and airy (8-10 minutes).
• 4. Add 1 tbsp onion paste, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp cumin powder and 1/2 tsp baking powder. Mix well.
• 5. Heat the oil in a wok or karahi to medium-hot and drop tablespoonfuls of the batter in it. Wait for a few seconds then flip with the help of a slotted spoon. Let the balls turn golden brown and take them out with the spoon on some kitchen paper.
• 6. Take some hot water in a large bowl, dissolve 1 tsp salt in it, and drop the fried balls in it. Let the balls soak in the water for 10 minutes.
• 7. Take one ball in the palm of your hand and squeeze out all the water gently without breaking the ball. Repeat for all of the balls.
• 8. Take the yogurt in a bowl and add 2 tsp sugar, 1 tsp salt and half a cup water to it. Whisk lightly with a fork. Drop the balls in the yogurt. Alternatively, arrange the balls in a bowl and pour the whisked yogurt on top of them. Keep this bowl in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
• 9. Drizzle the tamarind chutney and coriander chutney (if using) on top of the balls.
• 10. Sprinkle 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp cumin powder and 1 tsp chaat masala. Dahi bhalle are ready to be served.

DHAL BALLS WITH YOGURT

Steps:

• Place lentils in a sieve and rinse thoroughly under cold running water.
• Pick over lentils removing any grit. Place in a bowl, cover with cold water and soak 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, mix yogurt with 2 tablespoons of the cilantro and the chile powder. Cover and refrigerate.
• Drain lentils, cover with fresh water and simmer 30 minutes, or until tender. Add to vegetable mill or food processor and puree or mash well. Transfer to a bowl, add 2 tablespoons of the coconut, the bread crumbs, remaining cilantro, chiles, gingerroot, egg, salt and pepper; mix well. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Dampen hands, then carefully roll mixture into 1-inch balls, then roll balls in flour to coat completely.
• Half-fill a deep pan or deep-fryer with oil and heat to 375°F (190C), or until a 1-inch cube of bread browns in 50 seconds.
• Fry about 6 balls at a time 2 to 3 minutes, until golden brown.
• Drain on paper towels.
• Serve hot with yogurt sauce, sprinkled with remaining coconut and garnished with cilantro leaves.

DAL WITH SPINACH AND YOGHURT

Steps:

• Rinse lentils and soak for 20 mins or so.
• In a large saucepan, bring stock to a boil and stir in salt, lentils, turmeric and chili powder. Cover and return to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in the spinach and cook for 5 minutes uncovered, or until lentils are soft (time will depend on type of lentils used).
• Use a potato masher or a fork to mash the dal to get your desired consistancy; simmer for another few minutes to thicken up.
• While lentils are cooking, heat ghee and cook onion with curry powder, cumin and mustard seeds over very low head til caramelized - around 20 minutes. Combine with lentils, stir in garam masala and yoghurt.

DAHI DAL (YOGURT LENTIL CURRY WITH SPINACH)

Steps:

• Put the moong dal in a pan with the measured boiling water, salt, turmeric and ginger. Bring to the boil, then cover and cook over a low to medium heat for 10 minutes. Add the spinach, cover again and cook for another 5 minutes until the lentils are soft and the spinach has wilted.
• Meanwhile, heat the ghee in a frying pan, add the onions and cook over a low to medium heat for 10 minutes until golden, then stir in the chile powder. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Once the lentils are ready, blitz to a purée with a hand blender or in a blender or food processor. Return to the pan, if necessary, and bring to the boil. Then take off the heat, add the yogurt and mix well. Transfer the dal to a serving bowl, top with the fried onions and serve.