Dahi Vada

What do we get if we mix India’s irresistible attraction towards fries and fritters with its aeons-old love for curd and drench it in some of the spiciest and most lip-smacking chutneys? A perfect chaat (snack) that is undoubtedly the nation’s all-time obsession and a display of the raw magic of the land’s most refined spices. The Dahi Vada, or Dahi Bhalla as it is popularly called in the north, is one quick exciting blend of flavours that is sure to pack a memorable punch to any gastronome’s buccal and gustatory senses.

As the name implies, the Dahi Vada starts with the Vada, a kind of fried dough, made from urad lentil by soaking it overnight, blending it into a thick paste, shaping into flattened balls, and deep frying. The real sorcery of flavours appears after that, when the Vadas are dipped in hung curd, and mixed with a dash of exquisite Indian spices, some green and red chutney, tamarind sauce, and garnished with pomegranate seeds, fritters, coconut shavings and coriander leaves. Dahi Vada is an absolute must for Holi and other festivities, but this sapid snack is available all year long with street vendors and chaat centres, making it India’s favourite indulgence. Because of the curd’s established ability to initiate cooling and digestion, Dahi Vada is a relatively healthy snack and an indispensable summer companion.

It is a matter of further investigation to identify the exact origin of Dahi Vada. The earliest mentions of a type of the dish can be found in ancient Tamil literature dating back to 100 BCE. It has also been referred to as “Kshiravata” in the Sanskrit encyclopaedia Manasollasa composed by Someshwara III in the 12th century. A form of the snack more akin to its modern variant is believed to have originated in the Mughal empire. Legend has it that during Shah Jahan’s rule, there was once a cholera outbreak in Northern India. A physician by the name of Hakim Ali suggested the remedy of adding handsome amounts of spices to the food to resist bacterial infections. Meanwhile, the Mughal Khansamas substituted the infected water from the Yamuna River in cooking with curd. Over time, with further culinary experimentation, the Dahi Bhalla was conceived and soon became a favourite with the royals.

The task of settling this north-south dilemma is best left to experts. Be it a remnant of the Vedic tradition of curd-laden delicacies, or a royal flavour cocktail straight from a Shahi Dastarkhwan, indulging in the heavenly texture and taste of the Dahi Vada is all that matters.