Dahi Baray Recipe (Soft, Fluffy Lentil Fritters in Yoghurt)
Soft, light urad dal fritters soaked in sweetened yoghurt and finished with chutney and chaat masala. A classic South Asian appetiser or snack that is always present on an iftar table.
Servings: 50 baray
Calories:
Equipment
- Mixer Grinder or high speed blender
- kadai or wok
Ingredients
For the Lentil Fritters
- 1 cup split urad dal white lentil (dhuli urad)
- 2 to 3 green chillies finely chopped
- 1 inch ginger grated
- 3 to 6 tablespoon chilled water reserved from soaking water (add 1 tablespoon at a time)
- ¼ teaspoon hing (asafoetida)
- salt to taste
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda (optional but recommended)
- Oil to deep fry
- lukewarm water for soaking fried fritters
For the Yoghurt Mixture
- 2 cups yoghurt full-fat
- salt to taste
- 3 to 4 tablespoon sugar
Toppings
- coriander mint chutney to taste
- tamarind chutney to taste
- chaat masala to dust
- red chilli powder to dust
- Pomegranate arils (optional)
Instructions
Soak the urad dal:
- Rinse urad dal until the water runs clear. Soak in water for at least 6–8 hours, or overnight. For best results, refrigerate the soaked and drained dal before grinding, as this keeps the blender cool and the paste smooth.1 cup split urad dal
Grind the batter:
- Drain the dal (reserve the water) and grind to a smooth, thick paste with green chillies and ginger. Add chilled reserved water one tablespoon at a time. You'll need only 3–6 tablespoon total. Do not let the blender overheat.2 to 3 green chillies, 1 inch ginger, 3 to 6 tbsp chilled water
Aerate the batter:
- Transfer the paste to a wide bowl. Add hing, salt, and baking soda (if using). Beat vigorously with your fingers or an electric whisk for 5 minutes until the batter turns visibly lighter and fluffier.¼ tsp hing, salt to taste, ¼ tsp baking soda
Do the float test:
- Drop a small dollop of batter into room-temperature water. If it floats immediately, the batter is ready. If it sinks, beat for another 2–3 minutes and test again.
Fry the fritters:
- Heat enough (2 to 3 inches deep) oil in a kadai on low to medium heat. Wet your fingertips with water. Scoop lime-sized portions of batter and gently release into the oil. Fry only 4 to 5 in a batch. Fry slowly, turning regularly, until light golden. (Check the post for freezing option)Oil to deep fry
Soak in water:
- Transfer fried fritters to a bowl of lukewarm water. Soak for 10–15 minutes.lukewarm water
Prepare the yoghurt:
- Whisk yoghurt with salt and sugar until smooth. Add a splash of water or milk if needed to loosen. Taste and adjust the sweetness.2 cups yoghurt, salt to taste, 3 to 4 tbsp sugar
Squeeze and arrange:
- Gently press each soaked fritter between your palms to remove excess water. Arrange in a single layer on a serving platter.
Assemble and serve:
- Pour yoghurt mixture over fritters until fully covered. This can be chilled for 30 minutes before serving. When ready to serve, add dollops of green chutney and imli chutney. Drag a toothpick through both to create swirls. Dust with chaat masala and red chilli powder. Top with pomegranate arils if using. Serve immediately.coriander mint chutney, tamarind chutney, chaat masala, red chilli powder, Pomegranate arils
Notes
Yoghurt quantity: The yoghurt mixture (2 cups) is enough to dress half the fritter batch — roughly 25 barays. If you're assembling the full batch at once, double the yoghurt mixture. If splitting across two days (which this recipe is designed for), the base quantity is perfect for one platter.
Freezing: This recipe makes around 50 baray, enough for two platters. Fry the full batch and freeze half for your next iftar. Check the post for freezing instructions.
Serve across two days: This recipe makes enough to assemble two dishes. If not freezing, assemble one platter and serve immediately. For the second, keep the squeezed fritters in the fridge (undressed) and dress with fresh yoghurt just before the next day's iftar — they taste just as good.
Batter not aerating? If your float test keeps failing, try refrigerating the batter for 15 minutes and then beating it again. Sometimes a very warm kitchen affects the batter's ability to hold air.
