Dahi Bhalla...North Indian Street Food

I tasted this for the first time at my friend's place long back after my marriage and I just loved the taste instantly.From then I also started making it regularly at my place along with the south Indian style Dahi vada's.Even though the preparation process is quite similar to our beloved south Indian dahi vada,the additional spices and the spicy,tangy chutney's add a real distinct flavor and taste to it which is no less than any other our favorite street chaat's.This is a great party appetizer as it can be prepared well in advance and is quite soothing.If you are interested in south Indian dahi vada,check our my version here.
Ingredients:
For Urad Fritters/Bhalla's:
1 cup whole white urad dal
15-20 raisins
salt to taste
oil to deep fry

for Dahi mix:
3 cups fresh curds
1 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp black salt/kala namak
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp roasted cumin powder
a pinch of salt
a pinch of hing

Meetha(Imli) Chutney:
200 gm Tamarind
2 cups dried Dates(Kharjur),finely chopped
1 cup Jaggery
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp Garam masala
1 tsp Black salt
1 tbsp roasted cumin powder
salt

Green chutney:
1 Bunch of Coriander leaves
1 Bunch of Mint leaves
10-12 green chillies
1" Ginger
Juice of 2 lemons
2-3 tbsp sugar
salt to taste
To garnish:
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp roasted cumin powder
1 tsp chaat masala
1/4 cup very fine sev
2 tbsp chopped coriander
1/2 tsp finely chopped ginger or julienned
Imli chutney
Green chutney

Method:

Imli Chutney:

• Clean the tamarind and soak in water for sometime(approx half an hour) and boil it for 10-12 mins until soft.
• Cool the mixture and take the pulp out of it. Add Jaggery and Kharjoor to it and boil until it is soft and all the jaggery melts and forms a syrupy liquid.
• Add black salt,red chilli powder,jeera powder and Garam masala to it and mix.
• Cool the mixture and grind it a fine puree.
• Strain it and store it in a bottle in refrigerator. It stays good for 6-8 months.

Green Chutney:

• Wash coriander and mint leaves drain out the extra water and let it drain for 15-20 mins.
• Wash Green chillies and pat dry it.
• Grind Mint,coriander,green chillies,chopped ginger,salt,sugar and lemon juice to a fine paste.
• Pour the mixture in the Ice cube tray and freeze it and remove the cubes from it and place them in a zip lock bag or in a big container in freezer .
• Use it when required.Stays good for 3-4 months.

Bhalla's / Vada's and arranging them:

• Soak urad dal overnight or atleast for 1 hr.Use the round white variety urad dal for this.
• Strain the soaked urad dal and grind it to a fluffy mixture in the grinder(even a mixie also does the same job,but in grinder you get more fluffy batter which is apt for making vada's).Add water only if needed,do not add much water while grinding this.Try to beat this mixture with hands for two mins continuously which helps in yielding fluffier vada's.
• Mix in the raisins and salt and mix well.
• Heat oil in a heavy bottomed kadai on medium heat and mean while grease your right palm(or wet your hands) and take a dollop of urad dal batter and slip it to the hot oil carefully and fry until golden brown on a medium flame.
• Repeat the same process for the remaining mixture.Drop 4-5 at a time,do not drop in more or else they will stick to each other.
• Meanwhile boil water in a big vessel until luke warm to medium hot.
• Drop the urad dal fritters/bhalle's in the hot water and soak for a couple of minute.Take them out and squeeze carefully to form a shape of round.
• Whisk the curds with black salt,sugar,red chilli powder,salt,hing,roasted cumin powder to get a smooth uniform mixture.
• Pour a layer of the spiced dahi mixture in a wide flat bottomed bowl and arrange the bhalla's over it and pour the remaining dahi mixture over them until they are well covered.
• Now decorate them with green and meetha chutney's.Sprinkle red chili powder,roasted jeera powder,chat masala in different patterns.
• Garnish with chopped coriander,fine sev and finely chopped ginger.
• Keep it in refrigerator until it is to be served.It tastes best when it is chilled.

Update:
This is going to participate in Pari's - 'Only Chaat' event .