Soft urad dal fritters served in cold yogurt alongside a spiced potato preparation — the signature street food of Cuttack, the old capital of Odisha. Different from the North Indian dahi vada in the specific spicing used and in the mandatory accompaniment of aloo dum.
Ingredients
For the bara (fritters):
1 cup urad dal — soaked 4 hours, ground to thick batter with ginger and green chilli
oil for deep frying
For soaking: warm salted water
For the dahi:
2 cups thick yogurt — beaten smooth with 1/2 tsp sugar and a pinch of salt
1 tsp ginger paste, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp red chilli powder, salt, tamarind water
For topping:
Tamarind chutney, boondi, roasted cumin powder, red chilli powder, black salt, coriander
Method
Make the bara: Grind soaked urad dal with ginger and green chilli to a thick, airy batter. Drop tablespoon portions into hot oil. Fry 3 to 4 minutes until golden. Drain.
Soak and press: Soak fried bara in warm salted water 5 minutes. Gently press each between palms to remove excess oil and water.
Make the aloo dum: Heat 2 tbsp oil. Add panch phoron — crackle. Add dried red chilli. Add ginger paste — stir. Add turmeric and red chilli powder on low heat. Add boiled quartered potato. Stir. Add a splash of tamarind water and salt. Cook 5 minutes until the potato is coated in the spiced oil.
Arrange the bara in yogurt: Place the pressed bara in the beaten yogurt. They will begin absorbing the yogurt.
Rest 15 minutes: Let sit 15 minutes so the bara absorbs the yogurt throughout.
Place alongside the aloo dum: The Cuttack way is to serve the yogurt-soaked bara alongside (not mixed with) the aloo dum — each is eaten separately and then combined in small amounts.
Add toppings: Over the dahi bara, add: tamarind chutney, boondi, roasted cumin powder, red chilli powder and black salt.
Add coriander: Scatter fresh coriander over both.
Serve immediately: The dahi bara must be served cold, the aloo dum must be warm.
The Cuttack experience: Eat a piece of dahi bara followed immediately by a piece of the spiced aloo dum — the cold-warm, sour-spiced contrast is the specific Cuttack street food experience.
Note: Cuttack Dahi Bara Aloo Dum is the most well-known street food of Odisha — served at every major intersection of Cuttack city from small carts. The combination of cold yogurt-soaked bara with warm spiced potato is specific to Cuttack and not found in the same form anywhere else. Cuttack, the silver city of Odisha and its old capital, is known for its street food culture centred around this specific dish.