Dahi Baray Lentil Dumplings In A Spicy Tangy Yogurt

Well, for me Dahi Baray are one of those things. They have been there at every ‘tea’ that I have been to for just about my entire life and my mother makes a variation (Dahi Phulki/Dahi Boondi) but I never thought about how to make them or what goes in and not because I don’t like them. I can certainly polish off an immense amount of dahi baray, especially the savoury and spicy kind. So much so that I am now grateful that I am pregnant and don’t have to justify how much I eat. I just never thought about how to make them because someone else always did. This summer I decided to be brave and make Dahi Baray for a potluck lunch and playdate a friend was hosting. Is it brave or foolish to try something a little tricky for the first time for a crowd? Let’s just pretend it is brave since that is the kind of thing I do with some regularity. The good news is that all is well that ends well and to ensure that it was not some kind of fluke I made them again today for a friend who was visiting from out of town. The very empty dish speaks for itself 🙂 Note Added June 3, 2016: I was recently trying to remember where it was that I learnt to make these and then I remembered that it was on a phone call to my feisty nani who is no longer in the best health. I write this here so that I never forget again that this is one of the many things I learnt from Nanna, the lady that once wore ghararas, carried a paan daan, always used talcum powder in the summer and made some of the best food I have ever eaten.

Dahi Baray Tips and Tricks

Dahi Baray are easy enough, but here are four must knows tips for the softest dahi baray. 1.) Soak your Maash ki daal in advance - overnight is best, but six hours works too. The daal has to be able to break down to grind 2.) Don’t add too much water with your Maash ki Daal - you’ll end up with watery dahi baray. 3.) If you do end up with watery dahi baray then just add a little besan to the batter and it will fix them! Start with a tbsp or two and do a test batch.

How to Freeze the Baray

Once you fry the fritters for the dahi baray then let them cool completely and put in a ziploc bag, making sure to squeeze all the air out that you can. Then you can freeze them and pull them out as needed. Just defrost at room temperature and give them a warm salted water bath and proceed.