The mouth starts watering as soon as the name of Dahi Bhalla is heard. Everyone likes the soft, smooth and tasty Dahi Bhalla available in the streets of Delhi. Bhallas prepared from urad dal are topped with cold curd, sweet chutney and spicy spices, which further enhance its taste.
However, while making Dahi Bhalla at home, often the biggest problem is that the Bhallas do not become soft and fluffy like the ones available in the market. Many times the balls become hard after frying, and sometimes they do not rise properly due to improper batter.
If this happens to you too, then with the help of some easy tips you can make soft and fluffy Dahi Bhalla at home. It is important to take care of every little thing, from choosing the pulses to preparing the batter and frying the bhaalla.
The most important thing is to choose the right pulse
Making good Dahi Bhalla starts with the right dal. Mainly urad dal is used for this. Urad dal helps in making the bhallas soft and light. You can also add a little moong dal to it, which improves the taste and texture.
Wash the lentils thoroughly and soak them in water for a few hours. With this, the pulses will be ground easily and the batter will also be prepared well.
Do not add too much water at once
Do not be hasty in adding water while grinding lentils. Adding too much water at once can make the batter thin, which will cause the balls to not be in the right shape and may also spread in the oil.
Add water little by little while grinding the lentils. The batter should be thick enough to be shaped easily. A little more water can be added later if needed.
Add some salt to the batter
While grinding lentils, add some salt as per taste to the batter. Salt not only enhances the taste, but it is also important to keep it in mind while preparing the batter. Many people ignore this small thing.
Grind the dal well and beat the batter.
It is very important to get the batter right for soft and fluffy bhallas. Grind the lentils well and prepare a smooth batter. After this, beat the batter well with hands for some time.
Beating the batter incorporates air, which can make the bhallas light and fluffy after frying. You can also take the help of a mixer or stand mixer to beat it.
drop test the batter
Drop test can be done to check the batter before frying. For this, take a little batter and put it in a bowl filled with water.
If the batter floats after adding it to the water, it is a sign that the batter has been beaten well and has enough air in it. If the batter settles down, beat it well for some more time and then test again.
Now make soft and fluffy Dahi Bhalla
After the batter is ready, heat oil in the pan. Take the batter in small portions and put them in oil and fry the bhallas on medium flame.
Frying the bhallas on very high flame can cause the outer surface to harden quickly and the inner part will not be cooked properly. So fry them on medium flame till they turn golden.
After frying, keep the bhallas in water for some time. This will make them soft. After this, take them out of the water and press gently to remove excess water.
Now pour cooled and whipped curd over these soft bhallas. After this add sweet and sour chutney. Add roasted cumin powder, red chilli and spices of your choice and serve.
By adopting these easy tips, you can prepare soft, fluffy and delicious Dahi Bhalla like the market at home.