Non- fried Dahi wada

Ingredients-

• 1 cup urad dal (black gram dal)
• ½ inch fresh ginger root, peeled
• 1 small green chili pepper
• Salt to taste
• About 2 ½ teaspoons of oil
• 2 cups of hot water

For the thin yogurt mixture-

• ½ cup plain yogurt
• 1 cup water
• ½ tablespoon sugar
• A pinch of salt

For the yogurt sauce

• 2 cups plain yogurt. I used homemade yogurt made with 2 percent milk
• 1 ½ tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon cumin seed powder
• Salt to taste

To serve the Dahi Wadas-

• Homemade or store bought sweet tamarind date chutney
• Red chili powder or paprika
• Cilantro leaves

To Make the Non-Fried Dahi Wadas

1. Wash the urad dal with several changes of water until the water runs clear. Soak it in 3~4 cups of water for about 8 hours. Drain the dal. Grind the dal in a blender with the ginger and the green chili pepper with minimum amount of water needed to blend the dal. Set aside for 6 to 8 hours.
2. Add salt to the batter and whisk it well with a wire whisk.
3. As shown in the step by step pictures,heat an appe or ebelskiver pan on medium heat and drizzle about ½ teaspoons of oil in the indentations, about a drop of oil in each indentation. Add about a tablespoon of the batter in each indentation Turn the heat to low, cover and let the wadas cook for about 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Uncover, turn them, cover again and let cook for another 3 to 4 minutes on low or until the wadas are cooked all through and fluffy.
5. Remove them from the aape pan, and drop them in the hot water. Let them soak for about 2 minutes.
6. Combine all ingredients for the thin yogurt mixture and whisk well.
7. Remove the soaked dahi wadas from the water, squeeze each wada between your palms to get rid of the excess water and drop them in the thin yogurt mixture.
8. Repeat process with the remaining batter.
9. To make the yogurt sauce, whisk together the yogurt (dahi) water, cumin seed powder, sugar and salt. This can be made in advance and refrigerated.

• To serve the dahi wadas, remove from the thin yogurt mixture on to a serving plate, top with the yogurt sauce, the sweet tamarind date chutney, the red chili or paprika powder and the cilantro leaves.