Dahi Bhallay
دہی بھلے
Dahi bhallay are a Ramadan and Eid favourite: spongy lentil fritters soaked until soft, then smothered in cool, lightly sweetened yogurt with chickpeas, potatoes and dark . This Pakistani version makes the bhallay from soaked mash daal (urad) with a spoon of , whipped until fluffy. Proper of the batter and a warm-water soak are what make them melt-in-the-mouth soft rather than dense.
- ⏱ Total: 1 hr 10 min
- Prep: 40 min
- Cook: 30 min
- Medium
- Serves 6
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Drain the soaked daal well and grind it in a blender with only 3–4 tablespoons of water to a thick, fairly smooth paste. Scrape it into a large bowl.
Beat the paste hard with your hand, always in one direction, for 5–7 minutes. This is the key step: the batter turns pale, light and fluffy, and a small drop floats in a bowl of water. Mix in the , salt, cumin seeds, green chili and baking soda.
Heat the oil in a over medium heat, to about 165°C, when a drop of batter rises steadily with bubbles. With wet fingers, drop in walnut-sized balls of batter, 8–10 at a time. Fry for 5–6 minutes, turning, until evenly golden and cooked through.
Drop the hot bhallay straight into a bowl of warm salted water and soak for 20–30 minutes, until they are soft and swollen. Take each one and press it gently between your palms to squeeze out most of the water, without breaking it.
Whisk the yogurt with the cold milk, sugar and salt until completely smooth and pourable, like thick cream.
Arrange the squeezed bhallay in a serving dish. Scatter the chickpeas and potatoes around them and pour the yogurt over everything so the bhallay are fully covered. Chill for at least 1 hour.
Just before serving, drizzle with and sprinkle over the , roasted cumin, chili powder and coriander.
Kitchen notes
Grind the daal with as little water as possible. A runny batter will not hold its shape in the oil and gives flat, hard bhallay.
Do the float test before frying. If a drop sinks, keep beating for a few more minutes.
Fry on medium, not high. In very hot oil the outside browns before the middle cooks, and the bhallay stay raw and gummy inside.
Iftar and Eid on one plate
Dahi bhallay sit on the iftar table alongside pakoray and fruit chaat, and they are almost always made for Eid, when a large dish of them is chilled overnight. They are also a street snack: chaat sellers in Lahore and Karachi keep a pot of soaked bhallay ready and plate them with yogurt and chutneys to order, often with a few papri or a spoon of chana chaat on the side.
Whipping and soaking
Two steps make the difference. First, the daal paste is beaten by hand for several minutes until it is full of air; that air expands in the oil and gives the bhallay an open, spongy crumb. The float test, a drop of batter floating in water, tells you it is ready. Second, the fried bhallay are dropped into warm salted water while still hot. They absorb water, swell and soften, and squeezing them out afterwards makes room for them to soak up the yogurt. Skipping either step gives dense, chewy bhallay.
Variations
- Besan bhallay: a quicker version using only gram flour, common in many Pakistani homes.
- Moong and mash: half moong daal and half mash daal for a lighter texture.
- With papri: add crushed papri or sev on top for crunch, like a chaat platter.
Storing
Assembled dahi bhallay keep for a day in the fridge; the bhallay soften further, which many people like. Keep the chutney and spices separate and add them just before serving so the yogurt stays white and fresh-looking.
Questions people ask
Can I make bhallay with only besan?
Yes, many Pakistani homes do. Make a thick besan batter with salt and a pinch of baking soda, beat it well and fry the same way. Besan bhallay are softer and lighter, but less rich than mash daal ones.
Can I make them ahead for Eid?
Fried, unsoaked bhallay keep for 2 days in the fridge or a month in the freezer. Soak them in warm water, from frozen if needed, a few hours before serving and assemble with fresh yogurt.
Why are my bhallay hard in the middle?
Usually the batter was not beaten enough, or they were not soaked long enough. Beat until a drop floats, and soak until they feel soft all the way through when pressed.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 330
- Protein
- 15 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Carbs
- 38 g
