Sweet Dahi Baray (Lentils Fritters & Creamy Yogurt

Sweet Dahi Baray (Lentils Fritters & Creamy Yogurt) taste just like Fresco’s iconic Dahi Baray. My recipe includes invaluable tips and techniques to ensure the baray are perfectly cooked through while remaining irresistibly soft and tender on the inside. 

Sweet Dahi Baray (Lentils Fritters & Creamy Yogurt)—soft lentil fritters nestled in a creamy, tangy yogurt bath and generously drizzled with Khatti meethi chutney—are a beloved and distinguished member of the chaat family.

Each bite strikes that perfect balance of sweet and savory, bringing back memories of bustling streets, family gatherings, birthday parties, and plates meant to be shared. It’s comfort food with character, layered in flavor and nostalgia.

These savory bites steal the spotlight, especially during Iftar gatherings in Ramadan. They’re often served alongside crispy chicken tikka samosas and don't forget the Pakoras.

These Sweet Dahi Baray are a copycat version of the ones from Fresco, a famous bakery on Burns Road in Karachi, Pakistan. But funny enough, my mom didn’t set out to recreate them—she actually learned the recipe from my paternal grandmother. The first time we tried Fresco’s Dahi Baray, we looked at each other and said, “This tastes just like home!” We got so lucky with this recipe!

I can confidently say that once you make these my Dahi Baray, your search for the perfect recipe will be over! These velvety soft bites are sure to delight your taste buds and keep you coming back for more.

This recipe is simple and easy to make, especially with Homemade Chaat Masala and Homemade Dahi Baray Masala.

HOW TO MAKE BARAY (FRITTERS) FOR THIS RECIPE?

Combine Mash dal powder, Moong dal powder, baking soda, red chili powder, ginger garlic paste, salt, and room temperature water. Cover and let it sit for couple hours. See video on how to make this mixture.

Deep-fry them in lot of oil.

Soak them in lukewarm water.

HOW TO MAKE THE YOGURT FOR THIS RECIPE?

Add dahi baray masala, chaat masala, sugar, and black salt to a bowl.

Mix well.

Set aside.

HOW TO ASSEMBLE DAHI BARAY?

Squeeze the water out with your hands.

Place them in your yogurt mixture.

Gently mix them without breaking the Baray and add some Khatti Meethi Chutney on top and sprinkle Dahi Baray Masala and Enjoy!

Hey Friend, You’ve made it this far, so now we’re basically best friends! If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a quick review & star rating ★ below. Make sure you follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

Let's Make Sweet Dahi Baray!!!

Print Recipe

Click to rate

Sweet Dahi Baray (Lentils Fritters & Creamy Yogurt)

Sweet Dahi Baray (Lentils Fritters & Creamy Yogurt) is my mother's recipe.Soft lentil fritters combine with a sweet yogurt mixture.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Resting time2 hours hrs

Total Time2 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Indian, Pakistani

Diet: Halal

Keyword: #daal, #lentils, #red, #sauce, #water, baray, best dahi baray recipe, chutney, dahi, dahi ballay, dahi baray, dahi baray recipe, lentil

Servings: 6 people

Calories: 211kcal

Author: Sarah Mirza

1x2x3x

Ingredients

Ingredients for the Baray (fritters)

• ¾ cup mash dal powder
• ¼ cup moong dal powder
• 1 pinch baking soda
• ½ tsp red chili powder
• ½ tsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1½ cup water

Soak the Baray (fritters)

• 5 cups water

Frying the Baray (fritters)

• 6 cups olive oil

Yogurt Mixture

• 3 cups yogurt
• 1 tsp chaat masala powder
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ tsp black salt
• 1 tsp dahi baray masala

Garnish

• khatti meethi chutney
• sprinkle some dahi baray masala

Instructions

Fritters

• In a medium-size bowl, add mash dal powder, moong dal powder, ginger garlic paste, salt, red chili powder, and baking soda.
• With a whisk combine them.
• Now slowly add water as seen in the video with moving the whisk.
• The batter should be runny as shown in the video.
• Cover the bowl with lid or cling wrap and let it sit for 2 hours, this step will make the fritters fluffy.
• Now In a wok, on medium heat, add oil and let it heat up.
• Place your batter with a help of a spoon as seen in the video.
• Let the deep-fry until they are golden on both sides.
• Get the fritters out on a plate lined with paper towel.
• At this juncture, it's your choice whether to proceed with the Dahi Baray preparation or opt to freeze them for future use. (see how to store them section above.

Soaking

• In a large bowl, fill it up with 5 cups of warm water.
• Place your thawed or freshly fried baray (fritters) in the warm water let it soak for 30 minutes.

Yogurt mixture

• Add yogurt, Chaat Masala, Dahi Baray Masala, black salt, and sugar in a large bowl.
• Mix well and set aside.

Squeezing out the water and Assembling

• Squeeze out the water gently place a fritter in between your palms. (see the video).
• Make sure all the water is squeezed out and remember give it little soft squeeze.
• Place each Bara (fritter) gently in yogurt mixture and once all the fritter are in yogurt mixture mix it very gently with a spatula so they won't break.
• Add some Khatti meethi chutney and sprinkle some Homemade Dahi Bara masala on top.
• Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Notes: Store it in the refrigerator with yogurt and it will last 2-3 days. Even though this recipe is really simple, it's important to remember that freezing the yogurt mixture from this recipe is not a good idea.

However, fritters can be freeze. After deep-frying the Baray (fritters), I usually make a large batch. After frying them and letting them cool down to room temperature, I tightly wrap them on a plate with cling wrap to keep them airtight. This way, they can be safely stored in the freezer for about 2-3 months.

When I am ready to enjoy these tasty treats, I follow an easy process. I thaw the frozen Baray (fritters), soak them in warm water to rehydrate, squeeze the water out of the fritters, then make a fresh yogurt mixture and add the softened fritters.

 

 

 

 

 

Nutrition

Serving: 1person | Calories: 211kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 70mg | Potassium: 19mg | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 17IU | Calcium: 15mg