The street vendors of India are probably some of the greatest cooks in the world. They make dishes that mix sweet with salty, creamy with crunchy, spicy with sour. They know how to achieve that perfect balance. My favorite bites when I visit are always enjoyed not in a restaurant but at a roadside stand. This is my ode to one of my favorite vendors, a guy who exclusively makes dahi bhalla-essentially fritters soaked in yogurt and topped with all kinds of chutneys.
Dahi Bhalla, Nana Style
Difficulty Level: EasyFrying at home can be annoying, so my nana, or grandfather, developed this quick version, which substitutes microwaved potato slices for the fritters. They do just as good a job of soaking up the creamy yogurt and all of the chutneys. This is messy, colorful, vibrantly flavored street food at its best.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1-1/2 cups plain full-fat yogurt (not Greek)
- 4 medium yellow potatoes
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (optional)
- 1/2 cup store-bought tamarind chutney
- 1/2 teaspoon red chile powder (such as cayenne or Kashmiri)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
- 1/4 cup sev (a crispy chickpea topping available in most Indian grocery stores; optional)
Instructions
- Toast the cumin in a small pan over low heat until it turns a shade darker and becomes fragrant, 7 to 10 minutes. Set aside.
- Combine 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and the yogurt in a small bowl and whisk until smooth.
- Poke the potatoes 5 times on each side with a fork and microwave them, uncovered, in a large microwave-safe plate or bowl for 10 minutes, flipping them halfway through. Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, slice them into disks (about 1/2 inch thick should work).
- Arrange the potato slices in an even layer with a little overlap on a medium serving platter. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt over the potatoes. Pour the salted yogurt over the top, followed by the chickpeas, if using, then the tamarind chutney. Sprinkle with the chile powder and the toasted cumin. Garnish with the chopped cilantro and the sev, if using.
Notes
Recipe reprinted with permission from Priya's Kitchen Adventures: A Cookbook for Kids by Priya Krishna (Harvest Publications, 2024).