Bhalla Papdi Chaat Recipe – 4 Secrets of Making Soft Bhalla/ Vada

post modified on March 10


Written by Puja

Dahi Bhalla Papdi Chaat Recipe is a famous North Indian fast food or street food. This is served almost all across India. Most of the time you would find people gathering nearby roadside food vendors serving these mouth-watering recipes.

So if you are in the mood for having a chaat item that is quick and easy to make then try this Bhalla papdi chaat. I am sure you are going to love this.(step-by-step-recipe-video)

bhalla papdi chaat

About Dahi Bhalla Papdi Chaat:

I still remember those days when I would frequently visit a shop in Delhi, in Kamla Nagar. There was this shop called Vaishnav Chaat Bhandar.

One of the dishes I would always have there was their bhalla papdi chaat, and what I loved the most was the sweetened chutney. While plating, I always say, ‘Bhaiya, thoda aur dahi dalna’ (add a little more yogurt).

But after coming to Bangalore, I never found such delicious chaat. I was craving those good chaat items from Delhi.

And that’s why I decided to make this bhalla papdi chaat at home.

This popular Indian street food dish is a delicious combination of crispy papdi (crackers), tangy tamarind chutney, creamy yogurt, and spicy green chutney, all topped with soft and fluffy dahi bhallas (lentil dumplings).

The origin of dahi bhalla papdi chaat can be traced back to the northern Indian city of Delhi, where it is a staple of street food vendors and food stalls.

Over the years, the dish has become popular nationwide, and can now be found in restaurants and homes throughout India. But the taste would slightly vary from place to place and from person to person.

Deep-fried lentil dumplings called “Dahi Bhalla” are pressed after being soaked in water to make a snack that is extremely soft and melts in your mouth. Bhalle papdi chaat is made by combining the bhallas with flaky, crisp papdi, chutneys, spices, and chilled curd.

With the dash of chutneys, spices, and the coolness of yogurt, it is extremely mouthwatering. And the best part is that the Crispiness and softness are nicely contrasted in bhallas and papdi.

So if you want to enjoy Dahi Papdi Chaat and Dahi Bhalla in just one dish then you can go for this Bhalle papdi chaat.

Just make sure that you don’t miss on just one key ingredient, sweetened chilled curd. Add more and more of it and it tastes just heavenly. Mmmmm.. yummy!

Making bhalle papdi chaat would be easy to make if you have papdis available at home, I have shared a homemade papdi recipe before, you might want to check it out here. You can make a batch of it before and then make this recipe whenever you want.

You can even check out my post on green chutney, red chutney, and tamarind chutney.

You can make and serve dahi bhalla chaat recipe as an appetizer or a snack.

Pro Tips (4 secret tips)

  1. Soak urad at least for 3-4 hours in warm water
  2. Use as little water as you can, while grinding
  3. Beat the batter with your fingers against the wall of the bowl properly
  4. Add a little hot oil to ensure the pores just open up and the batter becomes nice and light, that way the absorption of oil in the bhalla is less.
bhalle papdi chaat

Why You Should Make this Recipe?

Dahi bhalla papdi chaat isn’t just delicious – it’s also a great way to explore the flavors and ingredients of Indian cuisine.

The dish features a wide range of traditional spices and ingredients, from cumin and coriander to tamarind and mint, and it’s a great way to introduce your taste buds to the diverse and delicious tastes of India.

So I would say give dahi bhalla papdi chaat a try. With its combination of crispy, creamy, and spicy flavors, it’s sure to be a hit at your next dinner party or family gathering.

Here’s why you should make this recipe –

  1. If you are fond of chaat, just like me 🙂
  2. It’s such a fun and flavorful dish to make.
  3. The combination of textures and flavors is truly irresistible
  4. The crispy papdi, creamy yogurt, and spicy chutneys come together to bring a taste that’s hard to beat.
  5. Easy to assemble if the prep works are done well in advance
  6. Easily customizable

Looking for Some More Recipe Like this?

  1. Bhel Puri Recipe
  2. Dahi Papdi Chaat Recipe
  3. Dahi Vada Recipe

Subscribe for More Deliciousness!

I hope you liked this recipe and are excited to try this Bhalla Papdi Chaat Recipe.

To make sure you’re the first to get these recipes, subscribe to my email list. You’ll receive updates and new recipes delivered straight to your inbox.

It’s the best way to keep up with all the tasty things happening here. Don’t miss out—subscribe today and join our community of food lovers!

Bhalla papdi chaat

Basic Ingredients Required to Make this Recipe:

Vada: To make the Bhalle papdi chaat, you need super soft vada and to make vada you would be needing urad dal, you can use either split urad dal or whole urad dal without chilka (skin).

Papdi: The crispy papdi provides a crunchy texture, I have used homemade papdis, which works great for this recipe. You can check out my papdi recipe here. If you are short of time then you can use store-bought papdi instead of making them from scratch.

Curd: Curd helps to balance out the flavors. For dahi Bhalla chaat, thick, creamy curd works well. Ensure that the curd is thick and fresh.

Spices: Several spices are used in this dish to perfectly balance the chaat. Like I have used roasted cumin powder, red chili powder, and chaat masala powder.

If you don’t have chaat masala, you can use a combination of cumin, coriander, and amchur to achieve a similar flavor.

However, keep in mind that these substitutions will alter the flavor and texture of the dish, so it may not be the same as the original recipe.

Chutneys: To spice up the dahi Bhalla chaat, you can use any chutney for chaat. I have used green chutney, red chutney, and imli ki chutney.

Others: You will also need black salt, salt, red chili powder, roasted cumin powder, onions, and chaat masala powder.

Dahi Bhalla Papdi Chaat Recipe

Bhalle Papdi Chaat is a famous North Indian fast food or street food. This is served almost all across India.
No ratings yet
Print Pin Save Recipe! Rate
Share on Facebook
Course: Snacks
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: bhalla papdi chaat
Prep Time: 5 hours
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 5 hours 35 minutes
Servings: 12 vadas
Calories: 147kcal
Author: Puja

Ingredients

Ingredients To make Bhalla

  • 1 cup Black Gram Dal/urad dal soaked for 4 hrs
  • 1 tbsp Ginger optional
  • Salt as per needed
  • Oil to deep fry

Ingredients for Sweetened curd

  • 3 cups Curd chilled or as needed
  • 3/4 cup Sugar powdered, or as needed

Ingredients to make Bhalla Papdi Chaat:

  • 8 Bhalla
  • 12 Papdi Crisp can buy from store
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 Potatoes medium (boiled and chopped)
  • 1/2 cup Chickpeas boiled
  • 1/4 cup Green chutney
  • 1/4 cup Dates and tamarind chutney
  • 1 tsp Roasted cumin powder
  • 1/2 tsp Chaat masala as per the taste
  • 1/2 tsp Red chilli powder as per the taste
  • 2 tbsp Fresh coriander leaves
  • Sev as needed
  • 2 tbsp Pomegranate
  • Ginger Julienne optional
  • Beetroot Julienne optional

Instructions

Method to make Bhalla :

  • Grind the blackgram dal with ginger with very less water to get a smooth batter.
  • Add salt and beat the batterwith fingers against the wall of the bowl. Add little hot oil and beat once more.
  • Drop a dollop of batter in water, if the batter is floating, means the batter is ready to fry.
  • Heat oil and fry small balls of the batter till golden brown.
  • Immediately put them in a bowl of  luke warm water and let it soak for 8-10 minutes.
  • Squeeze excess water from each bhalla and keep it aside.

For Sweetened Curd

  • In a bowl add sugar to yogurt and whisk till smooth. Keep it in the refrigerator till use.

Method to make Bhalla Papdi Chaat :

  • Add salt and sugar to yogurt and whisk till smooth.
  • Keep it in the refrigerator till use.
  • Arrange the papdis on a plate.
  • Place bhallas and some potatoes on each papdi.
  • Over that put some boiled chickpeas.
  • Cover with chilled yogurt.
  • Pour a little green chutney and sweet tamarind chutney.
  • Sprinkle a little cumin powder, chaat masala, red chilli powder and salt.
  • Garnish with coriander leaves, sev and pomegranate seeds and serve immediately.

Notes

Chaat is something that you would want to have as per your own taste as some people like to have it spicy or some doesn’t,
some people like sweet chutney some doesn’t. So you adjust the ingredients according to your preference.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Dahi Bhalla Papdi Chaat Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 147 Calories from Fat 27
% Daily Value*
Fat 3g5%
Saturated Fat 0.3g2%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 1g
Sodium 17mg1%
Potassium 47mg1%
Carbohydrates 19g6%
Fiber 5g21%
Sugar 6g7%
Protein 11g22%
Vitamin A 107IU2%
Vitamin C 4mg5%
Calcium 96mg10%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?Post a picture to Instagram & Mention @thetastesofindia or tag #thetastesofindia!

Frequently Asked Questions About Bhalle Papdi Chaat Recipe:

Can we use store-bought papdis for this recipe?

Yes, you can. But to get the best result, I would recommend you use homemade papdi, for which I have shared the recipe before. And in case you are short of time, then you can go for the store-bought papdis.

Can we make use of unsweetened curd to make papdi chaat?

Of course, you can, but I would advise using sweetened curd for this recipe as that goes well with this recipe.

My Recommended Product:

Are you looking for a beautiful chaat plate to serve this chaat? Hereunder, I have listed a product, you might want to check.

You can even check out my PAGE on Amazon, where you will find my favorite kitchen tools, Appliances, Accessories, and more HERE.

Disclosure: Bear in mind that some of the links in this post are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a small commission.

Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases.

I am an independent blogger and the reviews are done based on my own opinions.

The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.

Looking for Some More Mouthwatering Recipes:

Papdi Chaat Recipe

Papdi Chaat Recipe is a mouth-watering North Indian street chaat recipe. It can be found easily on roadside food carts all over India. It is very delicious to eat and is considered a great alternative to a meal by many.
Check out this recipe
papdi chaat recipe

How to Make Bhelpuri Chaat at Home

The recipe of Bhelpuri is a combination of puffed rice, three different chutneys, sev, veggies, some Indian spices, etc. This recipe is super easy to make at home especially if you are ready with your prep work. In this post, I will tell you about the easiest method of making Bhelpuri with all those tips and tricks. (step-by-step-recipe)
Check out this recipe
bhelpuri recipe

Aloo Chaat Recipe

Check out this recipe
Aloo Chat recipe

If you liked this Bhalla Papdi Chaat Recipe and happen to make them in your kitchen, do tag me on Instagram and share pictures with me using #pujatastesofindia.

Please take a moment to rate the recipe and leave a comment below to let us know what you thought. Your feedback is invaluable in helping us improve our recipes and providing you with the best culinary experiences.

So, if you have any tips, suggestions, or variations you would like to share, please don’t hesitate to do so. And don’t forget to share the recipes on your favorite social network sites.

A self-proclaimed Champion Cook, who gets the confidence from the love and praises showered upon me by my family consisting of a Cute little Daughter and a husband who loves the Internet more than me (LoL..) and who incidentally happens to be the man behind the technical aspects of this blog.
I love working from home and the benefits that come from it and that is why I started this blog where I document all my adventures with cooking.
Follow me on my journey..

Read More Articles:

Kesar Lachha Rabdi Recipe - Easy Lachha Rabri

Want to receive Recipe updates into your inbox every week?

  • No more missing out on our latest recipes
  • Save your recipe emails for referring to it in the future
  • No fluff or, spam. Just pure value
Signup for today!
You will get one short email per week. You can unsubscribe anytime.
>