I have been looking for a recipe to make Dal dahi bare forever and just like that, my dearest Zaidi happened to mention she made it for a tea party! So off course with her trusty recipe I was off to a great start. This cooling appetizer/tea time favorite is a wonder dinner main or accompaniment once the Phoenix summer hits in the next few months. While the recipe seems labor intensive, it was easy to put together and absolutely divine!

Ingredients for the Vada/dumplings:

1/2 cup of urad/mash dal

1/2 cup of moong dal

One heaping teaspoon ginger garlic paste

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2-3 green chillies

Handful of coriander leaves

1-2 teaspoons salt

Chat masala:

Kala namak

Red chili powder

Cumin powder

Ginger powder

Tartaric acid

Chutney:

1/2 cup Tamarind soaked in water

Salt

1 tsp Red chili powder

A Few tablespoons of brown sugar and castor sugar

2 cups of yogurt.

Method:

Add all the ingredients for the chat masala in a jar and use as needed.

In a clean bowl add a few teaspoons of sugar,a pinch of salt, a little chat masala and 1/2 cup of water along with the yogurt. Mix and place aside.

To assemble the vada/ dumplings, soak the dals overnight in water. The next day, drain the water, add ginger garlic paste, salt, green chillies, corriander leaves and baking soda and blend till its a chunky paste. Deep fry the dumplings, a tsp at a time. As soon as it’s golden brown, take out of oil and immerse in a bowl filled with water. Let the vada soak for a few minutes and squeeze the vada to remove the water. Place in the prepared yogurt.

Chutney: 

In a saucepan, add the soaked tamarind pulp, sugars, chili powder and chat masala and heat on low till the sugar dissolves. Taste to make sure it has the sweet and khatta taste you like, adjusting sugar/ chili as needed. Strain the chutney to remove the pulp.

Layer the dahi bara with a layer of yogurt topped with the vada, a teaspoon of chutney more yogurt spooned on top, repeating again with vada, chutney making sure your last layer is yogurt and chutney. Sprinkle with corriander leaves.

It’s 115 outside, and fiery in the kitchen as well. I’d recommend a glass of lemonade nearby as this chutney is additive.

Using your food processor, blend up a handful of dried red chillies, 4-5 cloves of garlic, and 1/2 a cup of chopped tomato. Once blended, pour into a saucepan and add a little salt and a tablespoon of oil and cook for 5-10 minutes till its kinda jammy.

Is this even a recipe? No not really, but it’s a whole lot of delicious during our hot hot summer.

You will need fresh mozzarella, fresh tomatoes( never refrigerated!), basil from your garden, extra virgin olive oil and reduced balsamic vinegar to drizzle along with sea salt ( or if handy ever pink Himalayan salt) and fresh pepper. Slice, chop and drizzle to serve this easy salad.