Dahi Vada

Description

Dahi Vada is a popular South Indian and North Indian snack or side dish made by soaking deep-fried lentil fritters (vada) in seasoned yogurt. In South India, especially Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, this dish is often served as a chilled accompaniment during festivals and wedding feasts, offering a cooling contrast to spicy mains.

Urad dal is soaked, ground into a batter, and deep-fried into soft, fluffy vadas. These are then soaked in water, squeezed, and immersed in mildly spiced curd seasoned with mustard seeds, curry leaves, green chilies, and coriander. While North Indian versions may include sweet chutneys and pomegranate, South Indian Dahi Vada is more savory, often garnished with grated carrot or crushed boondi.

Dahi Vada remains a beloved festive dish and comfort food in households from Chennai to Vijayawada, and continues to be prepared by South Indian families in diaspora communities across Brampton, Surrey, and Calgary.