Hyderabadi Maash Ki Daal K Dahi Barray

Hyderabadi Maash Ki Daal K Dahi Barray, an absolute knock out of a dish with its big bold flavours.

As someone who’s not too crazy about regular Dahi Barray, I adore the cooling and fragrantly spicy flavour profile of Hyderabadi Maash Ki Daal K Dahi Barray.

To make these, the barray, which are spongy deep fried discs made of ground split black lentils (maash ki daal / urad daal ) are doused in well seasoned yogurt and finally tempered with fragrant spices.

 

 

My Mother makes Hyderabadi Dahi Barray pretty much the same way, except that she makes the barray with gram flour or besan. A lot of times, store bought boondi is used instead to save time which then becomes Hyderabadi Dahi Boondi.

Dahi Barray, the cooling yogurt based snack is very popular pretty much all over Pakistan: it is readily available as street food, is almost always a part of desi tea parties and also makes appearances at meals sometimes.

 

 

Hyderabadi Maash Ki Daal K Dahi Barray are pretty similar to regular Dahi Barray but it’s amazing how the addition of a few everyday spices elevate their taste to another level.

Making barray with maash ki daal does take time and a little advanced planning but the result is really worth the effort.

 

Make Ahead: How To Freeze Hyderabadi Maash Ki Daal K Dahi Barray:

• Follow the recipe for making the barray till the deep frying stage.
• Cool the barray completely, place in a single layer on a plastic wrap covered tray or cookie sheet and freeze overnight till firm.
• Remove to an airtight container, placing plastic wrap between stacks, if necessary and freeze again.
• To use, add directly from the freezer to the warm salted water called for in the recipe and let soak until softened.
• Proceed with the rest of the recipe.

It took me a few tries to get this recipe for these Hyderabadi Maash Ki Daal K Dahi Barray right. Thanks to the folks behind the YouTube channel Hyderabadwala.com for explaining the intricacies behind this Hyderabadi specialty in detail.

Chock full of flavour and heady with spices Hyderabadi Maash Ki Daal K Dahi Barray are what you make when you want regular Dahi Barray but with a sizeable shot of with extra oomph.

Hyderabadi Maash Ki Daal K Dahi Barray

Recipe Type:    Starter / Snack    Author: Alice In Eatland

Prep Time: 12.5 Hours     Cook Time: 10 – 20 Minutes    Total Time: 13 – 14 Hours

Serves:    4 – 6

 

Hyderabadi Maash Ki Daal K Dahi Barray – deep fried lentil batter discs, soaked in flavoured yogurt & tempered with fragrant spices. A Hyderabadi specialty!

 

INGREDIENTS FOR BARRAY

• 1 cup split black lentils (maash daal / urad daal)
• 3 – 4 cups water
• 1 – 2 medium fresh green chillies, roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
• 1″ piece fresh ginger, peeled
• 2 large cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 cup water, extra
• 4 cups warm water from a recently boiled kettle
• 1 teaspoon salt, extra

 

INGREDIENTS FOR THE YOGURT SOAK

• 500 grams thick plain yogurt
• 1/2 to 1 cup cold drinking water
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 – 4 medium fresh green chillies, roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
• 2 – 4 cloves garlic, peeled

 

INGREDIENTS FOR TEMPERING

• 4 tablespoons oil
• 8 dried red chillies
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
• 10 – 15 curry leaves, preferably fresh but dry will do too

 

INGREDIENTS FOR GARNISH

• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh coriander leaves
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint leaves
• Red chilli flakes

 

METHOD

1. Put the daal in a bowl and rinse a couple of times under running water.
2. Add water and let sit 6 – 12 hours.
3. Drain water, reserving about 1/4 cup of it.
4. Put the drained daal in the jug of a blender along with the green chillies, cumin seeds and salt.
5. Grate in the ginger and garlic, add a tablespoon or so of the reserved water and blend.
6. Add the water a tablespoon or so at a time and use as little as possible. The less water used, the better.
7. When the daal is blended into a fine paste, remove to a bowl, cover and put in the fridge to ferment for 6 hours.
8. Heat oil for deep frying in a roomy pan.
9. Add 1/2 cup water to the daal batter and stir until blended.
10. Put all the ingredients for the yogurt soak in the jug of a blender. Blend until combined. The consistency should be medium-thin. Taste to check the salt and spiciness and adjust if needed.
11. Pour half the yogurt soak in a flat based serving dish. Set aside.
12. Pour the warm drinking water into a large dish, like a rectangle Pyrex and stir in the extra salt. Set aside.
13. When the oil is medium hot, drop tablespoonfuls of the batter into it, making sure not to overcrowd the pan.
14. Your oil must be the correct temperature. If it is too hot, the barray will brown fast on the outside and the centres will turn out hard and not properly cooked. If oil is not hot enough, the barray will absorb too much oil.
15. When the barray begin to turn golden underneath and along the sides, flip them over to cook the other side.
16. Once golden all over, drain them well. These tend to absorb more oil than say, pakorray, but don’t be alarmed – the next step will help get rid of much of their excess oil.
17. Put the drained barray into the warm salted water. This will draw out the extra oil from them. Let sit 2 – 3 minutes, then flip them. After another 2 – 3 minutes, lift the barray out of the water and gently press them between your palms so that most of the water squeezes out. It’s ok if some of the barray crack in places. Just make sure not to break them.
18. Arrange all the flattened barray on the yogurt soak in the serving dish.
19. Pour the remaining yogurt on top of the barray to cover completely.
20. Make the tempering by heating the oil in a small pan over medium heat.
21. Add the dried red chillies and stir until they darken. Then add the cumin seeds and the mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds begin to crackle, turn off the heat, stand back and throw in the curry leaves.
22. Give everything a good stir and pour all over the yogurt soaked barray.
23. Garnish with the fresh coriander and mint leaves, sprinkle with chilli flakes and let sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes so that the barray absorb some of the yogurt.
24. Serve Hyderabadi Maash Ki Daal K Dahi Barray cool. Store refrigerated airtight for up to 2 days.