Thayir vadai (Dahi Vadas)

No-Fry Dahi Vadas


After having success with the no-fry Malai Koftas, the next item on my agenda was the no-fry dahi (thayir) vadas. In short, the kuzhipaniyaram pan is my new best friend and I use that as a substitute for deep frying everytime something requires frying followed by dunking in a gravy. Thayir vadais are my favorite and my grandmother would make them every Diwali... I also tasted the North Indian version when visiting relatives in Jhansi and loved the tangy tamarind chutney addition so what I present here is a recipe that combines the flavours of south & north india - just the way I love it. My grandmother makes the usual Ulundhu vadai and dunks them in flavoured yogurt but I used a slightly different recipe for the vadai this time and it was pretty good.

DAHI VADAS / THAYIR VADAI

Ingredients:
Urad dhal - 1 cup
Mung dhal (yellow split) - half cup
Ginger - 1 inch piece, chopped

Green chillies - 3, chopped finely
Curry leaves - few, chopped
Salt, Pepper - to taste

Yogurt sauce:
Yogurt - 2 cups, thick
Milk - half cup (approx)
Water - as required for the consistency
Green chillies - 2

Coconut - 2 tbsp, shredded
Salt - to taste

Cumin powder, Chilli powder - to sprinkle on top
Tamarind-date chutney (optional)
Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp, chopped


Method:
1) Wash & soak both dhals together for about 2 hours and grind to a thick paste with as little water as possible till light and fluffy. Add some salt towards the end so it gets mixed uniformly. I use a grinder for this.

2) Add in the chopped ginger, g. chillies & curry leaves with pepper and mix thoroughly. One could deep fry the batter after forming them into patties similar to this. I used the kuzhipaniyaram/appe pan instead following RedChillies' fabulous method. I add about a drop of oil in each depression on medium-low flame and once the batter is filled, cover with a lid and allow to cook till light brown. Flip over and cook the other side as well.

4) Keep some hot water on the side and dunk the vadais once they are cooked into this. This will enable them to get soft and will remain that way when put in the yogurt sauce later. Take them out after a few minutes, squeeze gently to remove excess water.


3) Grind g. chillies & coconut to a smooth paste and blend with milk, yogurt, water as required & salt to form a smooth, thick liquid. Soak the vadais in this blend for atleast 2-3 hours - the longer the better.

4) Just before serving, sprinkle the top with chilli powder, cumin powder, tamarind-date chutney and coriander leaves and enjoy this tasty treat.


Since this is high in protein and low in fat and combines the goodness of lentils and yogurt, I think this will make for a healthy & tasty dish for pregnant women and would like to send to Sangeeth's event Eat Healthy - During Pregnancy.
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Comments

  1. Wow, Lavanya thatz really gr8. No fry thayir vadai - with out oil but thayir will compensate the taste i believe. It is very tempting to have one.

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  2. wow.thats lovely idea again...am going to try the koftas first..looks delicious..

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  3. ummmmm.,.....looks so yum,..u have combined both the version,..must hve tasted great,..:-)

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  4. hi Laavanya, lovely thayir vadais. You are tempting me with those pics! the tamarind date chutney must make it all the more great:-)

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  5. Wow no fry vada and still it looks so drooliy delcious.
    Wish i had these vadas

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  6. I also tried masala vadai in her method. That's such a genius idea right? The thayir vadai is in my list now.

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  7. This is really cool....:)Thanks for the entry...I love thayir vadais....i mainly go to weddings to eat them :)

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  8. LOve thayir vadais..with no oil ..so innovative Lavanya..Date tamarind chutney for thayir vadai is new to me..Looks delicious

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  9. Thayir vadais are my favorite, and that too with tamarind sauce! Yummy

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  10. wow. looks delicious & tempting...

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  11. Thayir vadai n no frying lovely...U r tempting me..lov with with some boondhi on top...

    Please chk this post and support me
    http://ramyaacooks.blogspot.com/2008/12/stealing-continues-copycats-in-all.html

    Thank u

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  12. That is the excellent way to watch our waist line while eating this goodness... Great entry!

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  13. i am so tempted to try it today. looks awesome. great way to indulge without any guilt.

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  14. if I click "Red chilis fabulous method", it goes to ur malai kofta link. check it out.

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  15. i tried this for lunch today. it was just tooooooo good laavanya. credits to u and RC. it was so soft and as good as deep fried one.

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  16. Guilt free way of eating this delicious dish isn't it? Even my little one likes these. I had made these long time ago and posted on my blog. But I love the yogurt sauce that you have made. Delish!

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  17. Absolutely love it, what a deliciously guilt free way to have thair vadai, will try this for sure!

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  18. What a lovely way to make dahi vadas! Looks like appam pan is quite handy to avoid deep frying. I will keep this in mind and do it like you did. Thanks Laavanya!

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  19. wow, I'm drooling on your thayir vadas laavanya! That sweet sauce on top is a killer.. :) Making vadas in a paniyaaram pan is really interesting.. will try this way next time..

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  20. i love that these arent fried! i really enjoy thayir vadai but rarely make it because it involves deep frying. this method, like the koftas is great. at my parents' they dunk the fried vadais in milk..

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  21. Lovely idea,i shall try next time:) Thanx for sharing!Looks so good Laavanya!

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  22. Lovely n am drooling over the vadais...delicious...

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  23. wow great idea lavanya.wish to make it soon.excellent.

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  24. Thank you Premy. Yes you don't miss the oil at all - it tastes just as good.

    Sowmya, i'm sure you won't be disappointed.

    Thank you notyet100. It did :)

    Thank you Shreya, Happy COok, Madhuram & Sangeeth.

    Kamala, i love date-tamarind chutney and i think it adds a nice dimension to this.

    Thank you anudivya, srikar, ramya.

    Cham, definitely - hence my favorite :)

    Mahima, I really appreciate your promptness in trying it out and for the feedback. Also, thanks for the note about the link.. i've corrected it now.

    Thank you Vanamala.

    RC, yes.. that's what i love about it. I have now linked it to your dahi vada post.

    Thank you Usha & Uma, hope you try.

    Thank you Sujatha, yes i liked the sweet sauce addition.

    Veggie belly - true.. so I've been able to indulge in this, koftas and kadhi pakodis thanks to the aapam pan now that i don't have to deep fry.

    Thank you Raks, Priya & Jeyashri.

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  25. why do you add moong dal? just to know. I add only urad dal. this is my all time favorite!!

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  26. THats a lovely idea... Nice try! You rock!

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  27. Looks yummy! Very delicious....I am sure it tasted divine with the chutney.

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  28. Amma, thaayai, this is brilliant!! Will surely have to try this out! :)

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  29. Ha ha kalai :D - am laughing at your comment... try panni sollunga.

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