DAHI BHALLA

Election scene is high on the Kenyan turf. Of what I have heard it was pretty bad last elections with a lot of riots resulting in killing of innocent lives. It's the same in all parts of the world - isn't it? People loose lives for petty issues or even big ones. The one's in power don't give a damn because it was nobody they knew or cared for. But is it the way it is supposed to be? Definitely not!! God did not make it that way. God's biggest rule is "love one another as I have loved you". Do we did that. No we don't. We keep grudges, hold animosity, scorn, get hurt, we are unforgiving. We all do this sometime, or even most of the times.

It is very difficult to just let it go and look forward and forget the pain and hurt and embarrassment. Isiint it? But you know over the years there is one thing I have learnt. It is mostly we who are hurting ourselves. The other person concerned is past it. N and we scorn all the more as to why it doesn't affect him or her!

Long ago a when I spoke to a priest of this hurt that I kept with me for long time, he said just forgive yourself first and then forgive the person. I said that is sooooo very difficult Father. He told me something that changed my life. H said "I know. Just pray to Jesus to help you forgive. Just pray that he forgives your first and heals the pain, so that you can forgive the person. Keep on praying till you really feel the hurt go away". I have tried this sooo many times since then and believe me the hurt just vanishes. It's as if God just wipes the hurt and the pain away. It becomes very easy to move on!!!

Try it sometimes and let me know But for now try out these incredible Dahi Bhallas. Believe me, they are superbly handy in easing out worries and making you happy, coz you soooo get drowned in the lovely smooth sweet yoghurt and the soft dumplings.

Ingredients

For the Bhalla

1 cup - urad dhuli daal soaked overnight
1/4 tspn - fine asefotida
1/2 tspn - black salt a few raisins - one each for each dumpling
a fork to beat vigourously :)
oil to fry

For the yoghurt

3-4 cups - fresh yoghurt
2 tspn - powdered sugar
1 tspn - bhuna (roasted) jeera/cumin powder
1/2 tspn - black salt powder
Corriander chutney - as much as you like
Tamarind Chutney - as much as you like
Red Chilli Powder - as much as you like

Recipe For the Bhalla

Grind the soaked lentils with as little water as you could possibly used. They should be a smooth paste
Pour into a bowl and beat it with a fork. Beat them very well till fluffy.
Add rock salt and hing and beat again.
Meanwhile heat oil in a wok
Wet your hands and take small portion from the batter and with your other wet hand pat into a disk.
Once the oil is heated well, lower the flame
Put the batter into the oil and fry well on slow/medium heat till golden
Once you've fried all the batter, and if you have any left till the end of the frying, dip these fritters into very thin buttermilk.
Let them soak for about 5 mins.

For the dahi

Beat the curd well so that there are no lumps.
Add the sugar into it and mix well Taste and see.
It should be on the sweeter side
Add the rock salt and the jeera powder and mix again


For the assembling
Take a beautiful glass dish and pour in a layer of dahi into it
Squeeze the dumplings of the butter milk but do not crush them please and dip them in the dahi one by one and layer them in the dish
Pour out the rest of the dahi on top of the dumplings
Spread the corriander chutney, tamarind chutney and sprikle red chilli powder, jeera powder on top of it.


Enjoy them with rice or tandoori roti or just have them on their on own.