Thayir Vadai – South Indian Curd Vadai – Dahi Vada

Thayir Vadai – Curd Vadai – Dahi Vada -How to make Thayir Vadai / Curd Vada – is a snack prepared by soaking plain vadai in curd / yogurt/ dahi and tempered with spices. Traditionally a south indian snack or starter is now claiming recognition in the name of Chaats 😉  There are many ways to do this… simple method is what shared here, you may make it more flavorful by adding coconut paste or decorate with fancy topping like kara boondi or sev !

Do you have a big batch of vadai batter… read here as to HOW TO STORE VADAI

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Thayir Vadai

Thayir Vadai aka Curd Vada / Dahi Vada is a south indian snack prepared by soaking plain vadai in curd / yogurt/ dahi and tempered with spices. 

Prep Time3 hours hrs

Cook Time1 hour hr

Resting time30 minutes mins

Total Time3 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Course: Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: curdvada, starters, thayirvadai

Servings: 10 Vadai

Author: Mullai Madavan

Ingredients

Ingredients to make Medhu Vadai

• 1/2 cup Whole Urad dal skinned
• 2 each Green Chilli spicy variety
• 1 inch Ginger
• 3/4 teaspoon Salt kosher/kallu uppu

Ingredients for the Curd Mix

• 2 cups Curd / Plain Yogurt
• 1 cup Milk Warm
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt or as needed
• 3 cups Oil for deep frying

Ingredients for Tempering

• 2 teaspoons Oil
• 1 teaspoon Mustard Seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon Split Black gram
• 1/2 teaspoon Cumin seeds
• 10 leaves Curry leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon Asafoetida

Ingredients for Garnish & Decoration

• 1/4 cup Carrot grated
• 1 tablespoons Coriander & Curry leaves finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon Red Chilli powder optional for decoration
• 1/2 cup Kara Boondi optional for decoration

Instructions

• Soak urad dal in enough water for 3 hours.
• Grind to a thick consistency along with green chilli, ginger, salt and water. 
• Heat oil in a kadai, shape the dough and deep fry to make vadai. Keep this aside to cool a bit.
• Now soak the cooked vadai in warm milk for 15 minutes.
• Whisk together curd and salt in a bowl and keep it ready.
• Heat oil in a kadai and temper with mustard, split balck gram, cumin seeds and curry leaves. Sprinkle asafoetida  and add this tempering to the whisked curd mix.
• Now squeeze the vadai that has been soaking in milk and add it to the curd mix. 
• Let it soak for 30 minutes. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
• Just before serving garnish with grated carrot, coriander curry leaves and if you like to decorate… sprinkle red chili powder and top it with Kara Boondi!

Here is how  you make plain MEDHU VADAI  using simple cumin & pepper.

Soak urad dal in enough water for atleast 3 hours… Grind to a fluffy conistency using green chilli , ginger and salt using very little water.

Check my Onion  Medhu Vadai post  to make vadais. You may use leftover vadai to make this… and thats how this dish originated 🙂 Adding onions is optional…

Add in spicy variety of chillies and some ginger while grinding.  Add in salt too while grinding to yield a good texture. Using kallu uppu / edible rock salt / crystal salt does make a difference.

Add very little water while grinding. iam using a wet grinder… if using regular mixer mate, then use ice cold water to grind.

The vadai batter should look fluffy like an angel… it should float when dropped in water.

Add in coriander or onion if you like and shape them. Check all our VADAI RECIPES here.

Fry them over medium high flame … make sure not to brown too much.

Once done remove and cool completely before adding to the warm milk. Caution: Adding hot vadai to hot milk or water will make them loosen too much and break apart. 

Soak them in warm water  or warm milk… my aunt use to soak them in dilute mor / buttermilk that way it drinks up the liquid as well the curd flavor. Try our BREAD VADAI by  Mrs.Priya

Here is another version of THAYIR VADAI by Mrs. Kalpana Murali

Then temper the curd with all the spices and soak the vadai in curd mix for 30 minutes. Decoration is optional… it taste good plain with light tempering… serve chilled or at room temperature.

Use all the topping only before serving.. to keep it crunchy!

Notes

• Warm Milk works for soaking. Same way warm water woks too. I have seen my aunts saoking these vadai in light buttermilk first for few minutes and then add it to the curd mix.
• Do not add hot vadai to curd mix. Do not soak vadai in hot water or warm water… it will loose its shape.