Dahi Baray

Ingredients

• 1 cup split and skinned black gram (dhuli mash daal), soaked in water for 4 hours
• ½ cup split and skinned yellow moong daal (dhuli moong), soaked with the mash daal
• 1 tsp cumin seeds, lightly crushed
• 1 green chilli, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tsp salt, for the batter
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 500 ml vegetable oil, for deep frying
• 1 l lukewarm water with 1 tsp salt, for soaking the fried baray
• 700 g full-fat plain yogurt, chilled
• 2 tbsp sugar
• ½ tsp salt, for the yogurt
• 3 tbsp milk, to loosen the yogurt if needed
• 4 tbsp tamarind chutney (imli chutney)
• 1 tsp roasted cumin powder
• 1 tsp chaat masala
• ½ tsp red chilli powder
• 3 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
• 1 medium potato, boiled and cubed (optional topping)
• 3 tbsp pomegranate seeds, to garnish

Instructions

1. Rinse both daals well, then soak them together in plenty of cold water for 4 hours. Drain thoroughly and keep back 2 tbsp of the soaking water.
2. Grind the drained daals in a blender with the reserved water, a spoonful at a time, until thick, smooth and fluffy. The batter should hold its shape when dropped from a spoon, so do not add extra water.
3. Tip the batter into a large bowl and beat it firmly with your hand or a spoon for 4–5 minutes. It should turn pale and airy, and a small spoonful should float when dropped into a glass of water.
4. Beat in the cumin, green chilli, ginger, 1 tsp salt and baking powder just until combined.
5. Heat the oil in a karahi over medium heat until a drop of batter rises steadily in about 5 seconds (around 170°C). Wet your hand, scoop a heaped tablespoon of batter, and slide it gently into the oil.
6. Fry 5–6 baray at a time, turning occasionally, for 5–6 minutes until light golden and cooked through. Lift out and drain briefly on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining batter.
7. Slide the hot baray into the lukewarm salted water. Soak for 15–20 minutes until soft and swollen.
8. Meanwhile, whisk the yogurt with the sugar and 1/2 tsp salt until completely smooth. Add the milk if it is too thick; it should be pourable like thick cream. Chill until needed.
9. Gently squeeze each baray between your palms to remove excess water and arrange in a wide serving dish. Pour the yogurt over the top so all the baray are covered.
10. Drizzle with tamarind chutney and scatter over the potato cubes if using. Sprinkle with roasted cumin, chaat masala, chilli powder, coriander and pomegranate seeds. Serve chilled.

Tips

• Beating the batter until airy is what makes the baray light and soft. Do not skip the float test.
• Keep the oil at a steady medium heat. If it is too hot the outsides brown before the centres cook; too cool and the baray soak up oil.
• Squeeze the soaked baray gently. Pressing too hard makes them dense and they will not absorb the yogurt well.
• For best flavour, let the assembled dish rest in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving.