Q & A : Yoghurt Appetizer (Dahi Bhalla)
Evert asked me ” Dear Chef, I used to live in Tanzania some 40 years ago. There was an Indian place where they served an appetizer at teatime that looked like small (steamed)spiced (chickpea) balls with a yoghurt dipsauce. I can’t remeber the name but I think it was a bahji. Could you think of anything it could be from my inadequate description. The taste was so good that I would love to be able to make them myself and share with my friends. (My Indian friends could not help me out as it could be a vegetarian dish from another region) If you could help it would be much appreciated.
Answer : From your description, it appears that it could be Dahi Bhalla or Dahi Bada, or a “Boondi Raita”. Let me post both the recipes here.
Boondi Raita
600 ml Yoghurt
1/4 tea spoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint or coriander
Soak the boondi in water for about 10 minutes. Squeeze lightly and set aside. Beat the yoghurt smooth with fork, add the salt, pepper and sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves. Fold(put in and mix well) the moist boondi in yoghurt. Refrigerate. Sprinkle with chopped mint or coriander leaves. Serve chilled.
