for bhalla- (dumplings)
1 cup Urad daal
1/2 inch fresh ginger root
1/2 tsp salt
Oil to fry.
2 cups water for soaking the fried bhallas,
1 tsp ground black salt
For Dahi-
3 cups plain yogurt ( you can use Nancy’s plain yogurt or greek yogurt too)
1/2″ fresh ginger root fine grated
1/4 cup sugar ( no, the brown sugar doesn’t work)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp roasted cumin seeds powder
1/2 tsp red chilly powder
For tamarind chutney-
1/4 cup tamarind
1 cup jaggery
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp coriander seed powder
——–
Soak the Urad daal in hot water for 45 mins- an hour,
Remove water , add ginger & salt and grind to a coarse paste
Set aside
Whisk the yogurt and add the fine grated ginger, salt and sugar and give it one more whisk lightly, add half a cup of water if you like it a bit thinner.
Let it chill in the fridge till you prep the rest
Soak the tamarind in warm water for 30 mins. Crunch it with your fingers and remove the undissolved parts to gain a smooth paste. You can also run it through a grinder.
Add jaggery to the paste and cook on low heat, stirring all the time till jaggery melts.
Add chili powder, coriander seeds powder and salt, stir well.
Remove in a separate bowl and let it cool to room temp
Take two cups of water in a bigger bowl and dissolve th black salt in it.
Heat oil
Wet your fingers n palm, keep a tiny bowl in front of you to do that each time
Take a small amount of the urad paste, size of a golf ball and pat it flat on your damp palm
Slide it gently into the hot oil and fry both sides.
Strain it out and dunk in the salt water.
Pull out each bhalla and squeeze the water out by gently pressing it between your palms
Set aside in a bowl until all the bhallas are done
Now assembly is the easiest
Put 2 bhallas in a plate
Pour the dahi mix on top till it drowns the dumplings
Drizzle the tamarind chutney on top
Sprinkle cumin seeds powder and red chili powder
Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro and serve cold