By Akshara
November 5, 2026
Designed specifically for religious fasts (upvas) during Navratri and the festive season, these fast-friendly dahi vadas substitute regular lentils with rajgira (amaranth) and sama rice (barnyard millet) flour. Golden fried or appam-cooked fritters are soaked in warm water and immersed in chilled, sweetened yoghurt, finished with fast-approved cumin, rock salt, and fresh coriander.
1/2 cup sama rice flour (barnyard millet flour)  1/4 cup rajgira flour (amaranth flour)  1/2 cup boiled and mashed potato  1 green chilli, finely minced  1/2 teaspoon ginger paste  Sendha namak (rock salt) to taste  Oil or ghee for deep-frying or cooking in an appe pan  2 cups fresh thick yoghurt (whisked with 1 tablespoon sugar and a pinch of sendha namak)  1 teaspoon roasted cumin powder and fresh coriander for garnish
Combine the sama rice flour, rajgira flour, mashed potato, minced green chilli, ginger paste, and sendha namak in a bowl, adding small amounts of water to form a smooth, thick batter.
Heat oil or ghee in a deep pan (or grease an appe pan), drop spoonfuls of batter into the hot oil, and fry on medium heat for four to five minutes until golden and crisp.
Remove the vadas and immediately soak them in a bowl of warm salted water for ten minutes, then gently squeeze out excess water between your palms.
Arrange the soft vadas on a platter, pour chilled sweet yoghurt over them, and garnish generously with roasted cumin powder, sendha namak, and chopped fresh coriander before serving.