Dahi Kebabs (Indian Yogurt balls) is more than just an appetizer, it is a beautiful experience. In a bite you get the crispy exterior with the creaminess & tanginess of the yogurt and a hint of spice just rounding it up to a perfect bite! These are a family and friends favorite and everyone who has it falls in love with it so i am not joking when i say you must try it! It barely needs any prep work and is very easy to make but in the end it is such a fancy treat! This is a delicious recipe for parties, easy to hold and eat especially this festive season.
Happy Cooking!

Servings: about 12-14 pcs

Prep Time: 20-25 mins + time taken to hang curd

Cooking Time: 15-20 mins

Total Time: 45 mins

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups hung curd- approx 4 cups of regular curd, 2.5 cups greek yogurt, will give you 2 cups hung curd.

• 1/2 cup finely chopped onions

• 1/4 cup chopped green onions (optional)

• 1.5 tbsp garlic paste

• 1.5 ginger paste

• 2-3 green chillies finely chopped

• 1/3 cup crumbled paneer

• 1/2 cup shredded cheese- Amul or Italian or mozzarella

• 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander stems

• 2-3 tsp salt

• 1 tsp pepper

• 1 tsp corn starch

• 2 tsp back salt

• 2 tsp roasted cumin powder

• Bread crumbs for coating

Directions: 

1. Add hung curd in a mixing bowl. See notes for hung curd.

2. Add all ingredients, except breadcrumbs to the bowl.

3. Mix it all together once all the ingredients are added. Mix till combined, so not over mix as it can become more liquid.

4. The mixture should be thick and creamy and hold its shape. It should not fall off a spoon easily.

5. On a plate, spread some breadcrumbs.

6. Spoon the mixture on the breadcrumbs as balls. I spoon about 1.5 tbsp as a serving but you can make it smaller.

7. Sprinkle some breadcrumbs over the yogurt mixture kebabs.

8. Gently toss the yogurt kebabs on the plate so that the breadcrumbs coat it.

9. Gently roll it into a ball or the shape you like on the palm of your hand. Do not apply a lot of  pressure. Some breadcrumbs may get into the shaped yogurt mixture but that is normal. 

10. Sprinkle some more breadcrumbs over it to coat properly if need be.

11. Form all the kebabs.

12. The best way to get the creamy inside and crispy outside texture is to deep fry it. Deep fry it in medium-hot oil till both sides are brown and crispy. Check notes.

13. Serve immediately for creamy perfection. Serve with sweet chilli sauce or even with green chutney.

Notes/Tips:

• Hung curd- Place yogurt in a cheesecloth and twist it up in a bundle and place it over a strainer. Place it over a bowl to collect all the liquid- It is called whey and is very healthy which you can use in smoothies, curries and more. Ideally let it be in the cheesecloth overnight so that all the liquid is out. You need very thick hung curd for this recipe. You can also use greek yogurt which is good hung in a 2-3 hours also ad does not need overnight hanging. If it is very thick it will not form well and not be as creamy.

• Roasted cumin powder & black salt give it an amazing flavor so do not skip that.

• You can skip the green onions if you like. I like the crunch it adds.

• The cheese you use should be cheese that melts well. I used Amul.

• The coriander stems add a lot of flavour to the kebab. You can add 2 tsp of chopped coriander if you do not have the stems but i prefer the stems over the leaves in this dish.

• DO NOT OVER MIX! Do not mix after putting in every ingredient. Just dump them all in and mix. This helps keep it thick.

• I add 1 tbsp corn starch to help soak up any liquid if there is any. If you want to use flour, roast & cool it before adding it in. The raw flavor will not be nice.

• Once you make the filling form the kebabs. You do not want it to sit and become liquid.

• Cooking it- The best way is to deep fry it. It is perfectly crispy outside and creamy inside. I have tried air frying & baking it but you need to be careful that it does not over cook and curdle inside which defeats the creaminess. Air fry/bake at 360F for 10-12 mins tossing in between. The problem with it is that it cannot be too cripsy outside or it will lose its creaminess inside. If you try something and it works please tell me. You can make these into flat tikkis and pan fry it.

• I have tried making the kebabs the night before and then frying it the next day-

  • I kept it in the fridge overnight. I fried it after keeping it out from the fridge for 1 hour and that did not work. The curd was too cold inside and it did not cook well and just curdled and started breaking in the oil. The trick that worked was keeping it out for a couple of hours and frying it when the kebabs came to room temperature.

  • I kept it out (covered) in a cool room overnight. The outside temp was less than 10-15 degree C. This helped it not go bad. I fried it the next afternoon and they were perfect! Do not keep it out if it is warm- they will go bad.

  • You may need to dust on some bread crumbs before frying if you make them before.

• You can use Vegan yogurt and make this dish Vegan.

• Use gluten free bread crumbs and this dish is also gluten free.