Iftar chaat · Make ahead
Dahi Bhallay Recipe (Soft Lentil Dumplings in Yoghurt)
Whip the batter. Soak in warm water. Squeeze gently.
Recipe by Farwa ZeeshanTested in the NineFoods home kitchenDahi bhallay are lentil dumplings soaked soft and smothered in sweet spiced yoghurt and chutney, a Ramadan favourite. They turn hard and dense when the batter is not whipped. The fix is grinding soaked daal thick, whipping it until light and fluffy, frying on medium, and soaking the bhallay in warm salted water before squeezing gently.
The 3 laws of dahi bhallay
Why this recipe works
Fry straight away
Air makes them soft.
Cold water
Softens fully.
Runny yoghurt
Coats instead of pooling.
Shopping and prep list
Ingredients
Bhallay
Topping
The NineFoods batter gauge
Is the batter light enough?
Drop a little into water.
Method · 3 stages
Step by step
Batter
- Grind daal with minimal water to a thick paste.
- Whip with salt and soda. Use the gauge above.
Fry and soak
- Fry spoonfuls until golden; soak in warm salted water 15 minutes.
- Squeeze gently between palms.
Assemble
- Arrange bhallay, pour yoghurt over, add chickpeas, chutneys and spices.
Chef's troubleshooter
What went wrong? Pick the symptom
Why
Batter not whipped.
Fix next time
Whip until it floats.
Why
Squeezed hard.
Fix next time
Press gently.
Why
Old yoghurt.
Fix next time
Use fresh yoghurt and sugar.
Why
Oil too cool.
Fix next time
Fry on medium.
Swap smart
Ingredient roles and substitutes
| Ingredient | Job in the dish | Swap with |
|---|---|---|
| Mash daal | Base | All moong daal (lighter) |
| Fresh yoghurt | Topping | Greek yoghurt thinned with milk |
| Imli chutney | Tang | Tamarind sauce |
| Frying | Cooking | Appe pan with little oil |
After the meal
Serve, store, reheat
Serve with
As iftar chaat, chilled.
Store
Soaked bhallay 2 days in the fridge; freeze fried bhallay 1 month.
Reheat
Soak frozen bhallay in warm water.
How we tested this recipe
Tested in a home kitchen, not a studio
Recipe developed and tested by Farwa Zeeshan, who cooks and tests every NineFoods recipe on a regular home stove.
- Cooked from start to finish with the exact quantities above for 6 servings, using both the metric and US cup measures.
- Every one of the 3 stages was timed at the stove; heat levels and the 'look for' cues are what we saw in the pan.
- The doneness check (is the batter light enough) and the troubleshooter come from batches that went wrong, and how we fixed them.
- Reheating and storage advice was checked on leftovers, not guessed.
Keep cooking
Related recipes and guides
Quick answers
Dahi Bhallay FAQ
Why are my bhallay hard?
The batter was not whipped enough.
Which daal is best?
White mash daal with a little moong.
Can I make them ahead?
Yes, fry and freeze, then soak before serving.
What is the difference between bhallay and phulki?
Phulki are smaller, made from besan.