Dhai Baray
Dhai Baray or Ballay are lentil yogurt dumplings. Dhai meaning yogurt and Baray meaning dumpling. They are essentially lentil fried donuts, which are then reboiled to pull out the grease and soften then added to a sweet yogurt sauce. Some also make a savory version but this sweet version I’m going to show you is a very popular Pakistani street style favorite.
Ingredients:
This recipe is rather large but is freezable or can be cut in half. Makes about 50 (baray) dumpling donuts and is gluten free!
Baray:
2 lb bag Urad Daal (peeled gram/black lentil)
1+ cup of Water
Oil (for frying)
Method:
You want to start by soaking your lentils over night.
Once soaked over night you will find your lentils have expanded.
Rinse well until water runs clear then drain well.
Now add about 1 cup of water and blend your lentils to form a thick paste.
If your lentils aren’t blending or the batter is too thick, add a tbsp of water at a time. You are looking for a very thick almost toothpaste like paste. Where when you hold it, it keeps its shape but when touched its soft and smooth.
Once in a smooth thick paste heat oil for frying.
Get a bowl of water.
Add a little water to your hands then grab a small amount of the lentil paste (I like to use a mini ice cream scoop).
Make a donut shape, take a little water then poke to get the donut hole.
Gently place in oil.
Fry in a donut shape until golden brown.
If you find it hard to make the donut shape just use your mini ice cream scoop and make little ball shapes.
Set your fried baray on a paper towel sheet tray to cool completely.
At this point you can freeze your baray in a ziplock bag.
Sweet Yogurt Sauce:
1 Cup Thick Greek Yogurt
1/4 c. Milk
2 tbsp Sugar
Pinch of Salt
1/2 tsp Chaat Masala
Method:
Whisk together all the ingredients for the sweet yogurt sauce and set aside.
The yogurt sauce should be pancake batter, drizzling consistency.
Garnishes:
Tamarind Date Chutney (recipe here)
Avocado Cilantro Chutney (recipe here)
Chopped Cilantro
Chaat Masala
Assembly For Serving:
Boil the amount of baray (I did 6 to 8) you’d like to eat in water for 3 to 5 minutes to soften them.
You want to almost just get them soaked but not to the point they fall apart.
We are pulling the grease out to allow the baray to become like a fluffy dumpling so it can soak in all the yogurt.
Once soft pull out and place into serving tray.
Now pour 2/3 of the sweet yogurt sauce mixture over top, reserving 1/3 of the yogurt sauce.
Refrigerate to allow the dumplings to soak in the sweet yogurt.
Before serving pour the reserved yogurt over the top.
Drizzle with tamarind and avocado cilantro chutney.
Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro and chaat masala.
Serve it along side my keema samosas and I promise you will be thanking me for leaving you with a large freezer stash.
