Street Chaat · Lentil Fritters in Yogurt

Dahi Bhallay

Photo: BhargavVora / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

A dish of fried lentil fritters soaked in milk, called kshiravata, appears in the 12th-century Sanskrit encyclopedia Manasollasa — an early ancestor of today's yogurt-soaked version.

Deep-fried lentil fritters are briefly soaked in water, then submerged in thick whipped yogurt and topped with tamarind chutney, mint, chili powder and toasted cumin. Lahore's chaat carts spoon it into small bowls as a cooling, tangy snack.

Why it's made this way: The dish spread across the subcontinent from ancient roots, and in Punjab it became a fixture of street chaat stalls, prized for the contrast between crisp fried fritter and cool, spiced yogurt.