DAHI BARAS – MY MOM’S LENTIL FRITTERS W/YOGURT - Pakistani Recipes

 

Hearing the sound of the siren from the Mosques on Chand Raat (night the moon is sighted, to mark the beginning of Ramazan), would bring a sense of solemn peace, Ramazan is a month of contemplation and thankfulness. Day long fasting starting at first light until the moment the sunsets – it’s not all about just staying hungry. Its a cleansing of body, mind and soul. Ramazan  is also a celebration of food and what it provides us – nourishment and contentment – helping the less fortunate as well. No matter what the circumstance, there is a happiness that Ramazan always brings people in Pakistan no matter what stature and this is one memory that comes up most in my mind:  How everyone  celebrates the same occasion and whatever food is before you, is savoured and appreciated.

In Pakistani cuisine, Ramazan foods are spicy and nourishing, and that’s what I love the most. My earliest memories of Ramazan are of my mother and I preparing a feast to break the fast at sunset, called Iftar. Traditionally we first eat a date followed by an array of delightful snacks such as samosas, pakoras, spicy fruit salad, chickpeas and in my home no Iftar was complete without my mother’s fabulous “Dahi Baras” (which are a soft lentil fritter topped with spicy sweet yoghurt and condiments including tamarind, chaat masala and fresh coriander). When reminiscing about Ramazan in Pakistan, I am taken back to the nutty aroma of the lentil fritters being fried and then immediately plunged into water, which according to my Mum, ensures a softer fritter. Mummy and I would sometimes cook the dumplings earlier and freeze them (as they freeze well), or prepare them just before serving as I would watch, salivating impatiently until it was time for Iftar! The taste of the sweet savory cool yoghurt and the softness of the dumplings is the real taste of Ramazan to me and so I cook this every Ramazan in the UK to keep the memory alive.

Takes 45 minutes to prepare batter, cook and decorate, excluding overnight soaking of lentil.

For the soft lentil fritters (makes about 8-10 fritters depending on size):

* 1 cup Urad lentil, washed, rinsed and soaked overnight in water and keep in a warm place like a warm switched off oven (water might require a top up and make sure to cover with a tea cloth)
*2 tsp dry roasted cumin
*1 tsp red chili powder
*salt to taste

Corn or sunflower oil for deep frying

A bowl of cool tap water to soak the fritters after frying

For the topping (for about 8-10 medium to large sized fritters):

*2 – 3 cups of creamy Greek full-fat yoghurt
*1 – 1 ½ tsp caster sugar
*¾ – ½ tsp salt, or to taste
*¼ tsp juice of a garlic (not crushed garlic, this is just to add a very slight hint of garlic flavour, hence squeeze a garlic and use the juice)
*2-3 tbsp of tamarind paste (rehydrate a handful of dried whole tamarind in hot water, squeeze, strain and use or buy ready made tamarind, but that’s not as good!)
*1 small onion, cut into rings (Tip: soak in water for 10 minutes before use to remove the strong onion aroma)
*A handful of coriander leaves, chopped
*7-8 springs of mint, chopped
*1 fresh green chili, chopped
*½ tsp red chilli powder
*1 tsp dry roasted cumin seeds
*1 tsp Chaat masala
*½ inch ginger, julienned

  Preparation:

1. To make the batter for the fritters: Before starting ensure that the  (overnight) soaked lentils give off a fermented smell and the water should appear bubby – this is what you’re after. Drain (but keep) the water, add the cumin, chili powder and salt and blend into a fine paste, if it is too thick, add the retained water to thin it out a little. The consistency should be that of a very thick batter. Leave aside for 10 minutes.
2. Heat enough oil to deep fry fritters and keep on very low heat. The idea is not to have the oil hot enough so as to cook the outside of the fritter and not the inside. Keep a bowl of cool water near by.
3. Take a teaspoon of the batter and pop into the hot oil (that is enough as they double in size as they cook and you are looking to create a flattish round fritter). Continue until the saucepan has enough to allow a free movement of fritters. Fry on very low heat and cook until medium brown from the outside and cooked through. (Tip: while cooking if you make a small hole in the fritter with a knife, they cook faster!)
4. Once they are cooked, drop them into the bowl of water immediately. Leave for a few minutes and then take out and squeeze access water out. Arrange in serving dish.
5. To finish the dish, whip the yoghurt with salt, garlic juice and sugar. Arrange the yoghurt on top of the fritters and then top with onions, sprinkle with the tamarind paste, cumin, chaat masala, red chilli powder serving plate with the fritters and top with yoghurt and then arrange the onion rings on top, sprinkle the remainder of toppings and serve immediately or refrigerate and serve cool.

Tip: If freezing the fritters, do not plunge into water after frying. Just drain and cool them on kitchen paper and then freeze. Once defrosted, pop in water and squeeze before use and arrange as above.